Sandesh Prabhudesai
19 July 1999
Thousands of Coca Cola bottles are going dry once again as the local
Congress government has suddenly cut off its water supply within four months of the soft
drink multinational beginning its trial production at the newly set up mega plant here.
Churchill Alemao, the state industries minister, justifies his action
of disconnecting the water supply to Hindustan Coca Cola Bottling South West Pvt Ltd
situated at Verna, arguing that the industrial estate is short of water.
The mega plant worth Rs 30 crore needs around 2000 cubic metres of
water every day if the multinational goes ahead with its plan to fill 500 bottles per
minute. However, its trial production is presently consuming only 800 cubic metres of
water per day.
Dr Wilfred de Souza, former chief minister and one-time political guru
of Alemao, alleges that the government has ulterior motive in disconnecting the water
supply, while not holding anybody in particular responsible for it. Alemao, while
admitting that it is his action, however denies the allegation.
"People first, industry later is my slogan", says Alemao. He
claims that no additional amount of water could be spared for Coke when other electronic
and pharmaceutical multinationals are running out of water. "I cannot allow such kind
of favouritism", he adds.
Alemao has also vehemently refuted the allegation that his is an
attempt to get some of his football players sponsored from the multinational by
threatening them in such a manner. "I will never get my players sponsored from Coca
Cola", claims Alemao, who also runs Churchill Brothers, the famous football team.
But suspicion still haunts the controversy as his cabinet colleague and
water supplies minister Ravi Naik denies that Verna industrial estate is running short of
water. "The estate is consuming only 2000 cubic metres of water while our contract is
to supply upto 5000 cubic metres. Only 800 among it is consumed by the Coke right
now", he clarifies.
Sidelining these facts, Alemao appears to have flexed his muscles in
his usual style with the soft drink multinational by stopping water ‘for the time
being’. As an alternative, he has given them a proposal to lay 45-km long special
pipeline from Selaulim irrigation project. "I will not leave them", he asserts.
