The co-packers for PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have denied allegations of exploitation of the Tamirabarani river water by their units at the Industrial Growth Centre administered by the SIPCOT on 1991.58 acres at Gangaikondan in Tirunelveli district.
Backing from SIPCOT
SIPCOT has backed the claim made by Prathishta Business Solutions and South India Bottling Company by filing a counter affidavit in reply to a PIL petition filed before the Madras High Court Bench here against the supply of the river water to the two companies by SIPCOT at a “throwaway price.”
According to P. Kumaravel Pandian, GM, SIPCOT, the government had accorded sanction to the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Corporation for Industrial Infrastructure Development on August 4, 1993, to acquire lands in Perancheri and Gangaikondan Part-I villages for establishment of the IGC.
A GO was also passed on May 14, 1998, permitting it to draw surface water at the rate of three million gallons per day from Tamirabarani and supply it to industrie established in the IGC.