KISANON NE MACHAYA SHOR
COCA-COLA PANI CHOR


DOODH DAHI KE DESH MEIN

PEPSI COKE NAHIN CHALEGA


People's organizations in the state of Uttar Pradesh are planning a 250 km march, between 2 Coca-Cola bottling facilities, to demand that Coca-Cola stop stealing water from communities. The march starts in Ballia on Monday, November 15 and ends with a massive rally
in Mehdiganj on Wednesday, November 24.

A MEGA RALLY OF PEOPLE’S MOVEMENT IN VIEW OF DIRECT ACTION TO CLOSE DOWN COCA-COLA BOTTLING PLANT IN MEHNDIGANJ – VARANASI
ON 24 November
JOIN US IN THE RALLY AT MEHNDIGANJ, RAJATALAB, VARANASI
In a Direct Action to CHASE AWAY COCA-COLA and SAVE OUR WATER

Dear Friends,

Thinkers have predicted that if another World War is waged it would be
for water. The entire globe has already started experiencing the
scarcity of water. Therefore giant multinational companies have started
their most wicked efforts of grabbing control of water, and making
criminal profits by selling this most valuable sustainer of nature at
incredible prices.

 Remember the recent order of Kerala High Court
preventing the Coca-Cola plant in Plachimada village, from drawing
underground water. This order was issued because the company was
drawing out such an unimaginable amount of water for commercial
purposes that the entire area, within a radius of three kilometers, has
been under severe drought ever since the plant started functioning
there. The wells, hand pumps and even tube wells of people have totally
dried up. All the more, the water that is collected in these sources
during the rainy season has been so terribly polluted that it is no
more potable. The pollutants of the company cause so unbearable stink
in the water that it is not only unusable for cooking but also awful
for bathing.


The ruling of the Kerala High court is necessarily notable. It
says that water is the birthright of people. Even if the surface land
may belong to individuals, the underground water is a common
inheritance of all living beings. All the administrative machinery has
a responsibility to protect this invaluable treasure of nature. Thus
save the underground water from being exploited and depleted.

 The Coca-Cola plant in Mehdiganj, Varanasi,
Uttar Pradesh draws out more than 250,000 liters of underground water
per day. Due to this horrible abuse of the source of life the water
level of the area has receded from 25 to 40 feet under the ground. The
immediate effect of it is visible on the poor people and farmers. The
company pollutants have rendered many acres of agricultural fields
infertile. The company has not bothered to compensate the poor farmers
despite the clear instructions towards it from the administration.

 Besides, the company has illegally occupied about 15,000 sq ft.
of land belonging to the village panchayat of Mehdiganj. The farmers,
youth and especially women of the area have been struggling long to
force the Coca-Cola plant to close down. The District Magistrate had
formed a committee to investigate the anti human and anti life
activities of the company on 14th December 2003. But the administration
did not take any action against the factory. The government of Uttar
Pradesh itself had given assurance of serious action against the
company, when a large group of thousands of people picketed at the
Assembly building, for two days (9th and 10th June 2003) protesting on
the injustice done by it. But in reality no action has been taken to
this day.


The Coca-Cola company has been acting clever and crooked all over its
installations by distributing a few blankets, utensils, medicine or
even hard cash. These so called social and charitable activities have
succeeded to mislead people for some time. But now the people of
Mehdiganj are well aware of the vicious and deadly plans of the
company.


It is well known that the district of Varanasi also has been
declared drought hit due to lack of rain this year. This is only an
added reason for us to protect every drop of water. But if the
Coca-Cola company continued to extract the water of this area, we the
simple people of Mehdiganj are heading towards a dangerous crisis of
drinking water. Unfortunately we are not the only people who are
victims of this fatal exploitation.


Therefore we appeal to all our brothers and sisters of the country, to
pressurize the government to issue prohibition orders to all the
Pepsi-Coke companies on the commercialization and depletion of water in
India.


Therefore, a vast on-foot-march rally is being organized against
Coca-Cola and Pepsi from the Coca-Cola factory at Sinhachavar, Ballia,
to the same at Mehdiganj, Varanasi on Monday, November 15th, 2004. The
march will conclude at the Coca-Cola bottling plant, Mehdiganj,
Varanasi on 24th November. We expect the cooperation of thousands of
our supporters to participate in the whole process and make it so
powerful as to enforce certain direct actions, on the concluding day,
against the Mehdiganj plant. We request your bodily, mental, financial
and spiritual assistance in support of this mass movement against
commercialization of the source of life itself by the multinational
companies.


Appeal by:

Lok Samiti Varanasi

Gaon Bachao Sangharsh Samiti Mehndiganj

Coca cola Bhagao-Krishi Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, Sinhachavar

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)





MARCH-ON-FOOT AGAINST PEPSI-COKE EXPLOITAION

15 NOVEMBER – 24 NOVEMBER
















Route of the March from Coca-Cola factory at Sinhachavar, Ballia to Coca-Cola factory
at Mehdiganj, Varanasi
 




Date

Time
of Halt

Halting
Place

Contact
Person


15-11-04

11am.(Starting)

Inauguration
of the March at Coca-Cola factory Sinhachavar
Ballia

Baliram

(phone
no.05491-223213)


15-11-04

Evening

Matihi

Dalit
Vikas Prashikshan Samiti (ph. 05493-282109;
282052)


16-11.04

Afternoon

Dehma

As
above


16-11-04

Evening

Lattoodih

Pratigya
Prashikshan Sansthan (Rajkumari Gandhi


17-11.04

Afternoon

Rajapur

Rajendra/Brijesh
Srivastav


17-11.04

Evening

Muhammadabad

Rubina
Gulzar
(mob.9415616549)


18-11.04

Afternoon

Gauspur

As
above


18-11.04

Evening

Kathva
Modh

Brijesh
Kumar (Sarvangeen Vikas Samiti)


19-11.04

Afternoon

Gazipur

Saroj
Mishra/ Dayashankar


19-11.04

Evening

Fateh
Ullahpur

Vishwesh
Jivandan Samiti
(Mob.
9839582292)


20-11.04

Afternoon

Nandganj

As
above


20-11.04

Evening

Devkali

As
above


21-11.04

Afternoon

Saidpur

As
above


21-11.04

Evening

Kaithi

Vallabhacharya
Pandey
(mob.
9415256848); ph. 0542-2618201; -301; -401;
2616289


22-11.04

Afternoon

Umarahan
(Khanpur)

Surendra/
Ramachal (Loksamiti) ph. 0542-26162289


22-11.04

Evening

Pandeypur

Sudhakar
Mahila Degree College


23-11.04

Afternoon

Gandhi
Adhyayan Peeth, Maldahiya, Varanasi

Suresh/Mukesh
Lok Samiti
(mob.
9839017693; 9415300520)


23-11.04

Evening

Mohansarai
(Kaneri)

As
above


24-11.04

11
am.

Direct
Action on
Coca-Cola Bottling Plant, Mehdiganj

As
above
For
participation in the above movement of people, please
contact:
Lok
Samiti, Mehdiganj, Rajatalab, Varanasi – 221311. (mob. Nandlal: 9415300520;
0542-2632433; mob. Suresh:9839017693; mob. Vallabh: 9415256848; email:  napm_up@yahoo.com
Baliram,
Vill. & P.O. Sinhachavar Kalan, Ballia, ph.
05491-232135
Sandeep
Pandey, NAPM, A.893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow – 16, ph. 0522-2347365,
mob.Mahesh:9838546900; mob.Boby Ramakant:9839073355; email:  ashaashram@yahoo.com

Organizers:

Lok Samiti Varanasi

Sajha Sanskritimanj, Varanasi
Gaon Bachao Sangharsh Samiti Mehndiganj

Coca-Cola Bhagao-Krishi Bachao Jan Sangharsh Samiti, Sinhachavar

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)

Yours truly,


Nandlal Master





An Appeal for Cooperation, Collaboration, Participation and
Assistance to the On-Foot-March rally to protest against the
exploitation of water, by the Multinational companies, Pepsi and
Coca-Cola, to be undertaken by the victim villagers, from 15th to 24th
November 2004, between two of the factories in Uttarpradesh: at
Sinhachavar, Ballia and Mehdiganj, Varanasi.

 Dear Sir / Madam:

We the affected people of Mehdiganj and Sinhachavar, with the support
of the undersigned organizations and under the direct leadership of
Nandlal Master are organizing a huge rally march between two factories
of Coca-Cola in Sinhachavar and Mehdiganj, from Monday, 15th November
to Wednesday, 24th November 2004. Your esteemed presence and
participation would make this resolute movement of ours more public and
powerful.


Therefore, may we invite you and your organization to join us in
support of this symbolic march, so that this effort of ours opens the
eyes of the administration, conscientize people for solidarity against
multinational exploitations, and empower this people’s movement with
your energy and experience.


We request you to support us with various types of your resources, like
your personal and your organization’s presence with us, sharing of your
own experience and convictions with us, and assisting our movement with
the much needed financial aid.


May we appeal for your special participation on the concluding day of
the march rally, at Mehdiganj, Varanasi on 24th November. We do expect
a powerful gathering of many thousands of our supporters to take
certain effective actions to force the factory to close down its units.

Among the many important invitees for this occasion, the prominent are:
Surendra Mohan (Socialist), Aruna Roy IAS (Magsaysay awarded), Sandeep
Pandey (Magsaysay awarded), Raghu Thakur (Lok Tantrik Socialist Party),
Siddhraj Dhadha (Sarvodaya).

We do foresee enormous expenses towards this bold step of ours, much
unbearable for a small organization of villagers like ours. The total
budget for this march is Rs. 103,700, for your kind consideration and
contribution in any form.


Kindly send your contributions to the following address:



Office, Lok SamitiMehdiganj

Rajatalab

Varanasi – 221 311 U.P.

Cheques and Drafts may be in favor of NAPM or NANDLAL PRASAD

Payable at Varanasi

Contact us by Phone: 0542-2632433; 9415300520

Email:  napm_up@yahoo.com


Yours truly,
Nandlal Master