Coke, Pepsi to be banned in Kerala

LDF's liaison committee recommended the state government to ban the sale of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Kerala.

The ruling Left Democratic Front's liaison committee on Sunday recommended the state government to ban the sale of soft drinks, Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Kerala.

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The recommendation was made in the wake of reports based on 'scientific evidence' that the soft drinks contained pesticide residue, LDF convener Vaikom Viswan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram after the Front's state committee meeting.

The meeting, which took the decision, was presided over by Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and leaders of all constituent parties in the ruling coalition.

Asked whether the allied products of the soft drink majors would also be banned, he said a ban on them would be considered if they were found to contain the same 'poisonous substances'.

"LDF does not hold the view that people should consume poisonous drinks in the name of promoting industries," Viswan said when asked whether the decision would send a wrong message to the industrial sector.

"This decision does not amount to any kind of revenge. There had been complaints about the products for long. Now it has been scientifically proved," he said.

He, however, did not clarify whether the plants of the two Cola companies in Palakkad district would be asked to close down. "An appropriate decision on this will be taken while implementing the ban on the sale of the Cola products."

The LDF convener said the technical aspects and extent of the ban would be decided by the government.