Coke failed to produce quality report: M'rashtra

State govt made the point to justify ban on sale of soft drink stocks seized from Coke plant in Pune.

Justifying its decision to ban the sale of soft drink stocks seized from the Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages plant in Pune, Maharashtra government on Tuesday said that the company failed to produce a report on the quality of its product.

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The Government also alleged that the company did not possess their own machinery to test the residual pesticides and insecticides during the raid on August 6.

In an affidavit filed on the directions of the Bombay High Court, the Government urged the Bench headed by Chief Justice CK Thakker to dismiss the petition as it was not maintainable since the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi had not been made party respondent in it.

Responding to the petition, the Government opposed the petitioner's contention that the officer who had seized the stock had no powers to do so and order a ban on the sale of the seized stock.

The Government said that the Food Inspector of the Food and Drugs Administration, Pune division, was empowered to prohibit the stock of any article of food in the interest of public health. It further clarified that the permission from the local health authority, i.e, Assistant Commissioner (Food), Pune was taken before conducting the raid on company plant.

The respondent said that the petitioner was not able to give a satisfactory reply during the enquiry and could not furnish details regarding the water quality, concentrates and other articles used for manufacturing of the soft drinks.