Date:13/08/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/08/13/stories/2003081302841300.htm

Other States - Bihar

Coca-Cola plant sealed in Patna

By Our Staff Correspondent

PATNA Aug. 12. The Patna district administration has sealed till further orders the Coca-Cola bottling plant here after collecting samples from the premises.

The samples, gathered on the orders of the Health Department, have been sent to the Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata, to test the toxic levels, in the light of the disclosures made by a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Science and Environment that the soft drink contained pesticides residues in alarming proportions.

The closure of the plant is bound to affect supply of the soft drink across the State. The Government has made it clear that no one would be allowed to enforce an unofficial ban. The warning was in the context of a threat by the banned naxalite organisation, PWG, to ban its sale if the Government failed do so by August 15.