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03/19/2006:

"Coke 'drinks India dry'"

Coca-Cola has been heavily criticised for causing extreme water shortages in developing countries where supplies are scarce. New evidence from campaign group War on Want appears to show that Coca-Cola has had a serious impact in communities in several Indian states and in Latin America.

War on Want researchers have uncovered areas in Rajasthan where farmers have been unable to irrigate their fields after Coca-Cola established a bottling plant. The War on Want report also revealed similar problems in Uttar Pradesh. Already well-known are incidents in the southern Indian state of Kerala, where a Coke plant was forced to close two years ago after it was alleged to have contaminated local water.

Coca-Cola is the largest beverage company in the world, and used 283 billion litres of water in 2004. For every 2.7 litres of water it takes, it produces one litre of product. Its profits last year were just under $15bn and it has a market capitalisation of over $100bn.
guardian.co.uk

Sorry kids, we've got to have our Coke.