Alemao stops Coke water supply
19 July 1999 10:19 IST 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.
