Pesticides are in soda's

NDTV Correspondent

Sunday, August 6, 2006 (Bhopal/Ahmedabad):

After an environmental group claimed that Pepsi and Coke are contaminated with pesticides more and more states are banning the colas.

Today, the Gujarat University banned the drinks in campus of over over 600 colleges and 1000 schools. The Rajasthan Assembly has also stopped sales in their canteen.

The Madhya Pradesh government has said no more cold drinks in government offices and education institutions.

"We will ban sale of colas in canteens at government offices and educational institutes," said MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Orders on this will be issued soon, he said.

After the NGO Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) claimed to have found unacceptable levels of pesticide residues in 11 soft drinks, some Lok Sabha MPs have sought a nation-wide ban on the sale of the beverages.

CSE's claimed has been refuted by soft drink majors Pepsi and Coca-Cola. The controversy also sparked off protests by various political parties across the state.

Gujarat follows

The Gujarat University also banned the sale of Pepsi and Coca Cola with immediate effect in view of allegations that they contain high pesticide levels.

"Sale of Pepsi and Coca-Cola beverages in all colleges affiliated to the Gujarat University has been banned," said Parimal Trivedi, Vice Chancellor.

Some 250 colleges in central and north Gujarat are affiliated to the varsity.

In Kerala also the Left has asked the government.

In Amritsar, Punjab, Health department officials raided a local plant of soft drink major Pepsico and seized 1,500 crates for random sample testing.

Lok Sabha MPs have said that 11 drinks sold by the two companies contained unacceptable doses of pesticide. (With PTI inputs)