The Indian state of Tamil Nadu is in the midst of a historic drought.
85% of groundwater has been depleted. Dams are virtually empty. Farmers, faced with decimated crops, are pleading for government assistance.
Yet in the middle of this disaster, Pepsi and Coca-Cola continue to guzzle water from the Thamirabarani River, one of Tamil Nadu's last lifelines for farmers and residents.
We have to stop this. Tell Pepsi and Coca-Cola: Stop squandering water during drought conditions. Leave the Thamirabarani River alone.
The two companies have long had bad reputations in India for their water mismanagement.
Just this past year, PepsiCo was cited for over-pumping groundwater in Kerala, after sucking up six times their permitted water ration -- draining the wells and boreholes of neighboring farmers in the process.
In 2014 Coca-Cola was ordered to close an Uttar Pradesh bottling plant for overuse of groundwater. In early 2016, the company was forced to suspend activity in Rajasthan for the same reason. And this past August, Coca-Cola's Haput plant - the second largest in the country - was shut down for polluting a nearby water source with untreated waste.
Now, in Tamil Nadu, activists have sued to stop the two companies from drawing water from the Thamirabarani River during the drought. However, the suit was dismissed, and the extraction continues unchecked. Vendors have asked consumers to boycott the companies soft drinks in order to pressure them to act responsibly.
In the past, SumOfUs stood up against Nestle for their greedy water use during the California drought, and stopped them from depleting precious natural resources. It's time to do the same here. These two companies cannot be allowed to hoard and waste water in the middle of a drought while crops die, farmers lose their livelihood, and people go thirsty.
Sign the petition today. Tell Pepsi and Coca-Cola: Show responsible water management. Leave the Thamirabarani alone and stop wasting Tamil Nadu's water.
More information
Indian traders boycott Coca-Cola for 'straining water resources'
The Guardian. 1 March 2017.
The Guardian. 1 March 2017.
Coca-Cola shuts down three bottling plants in India amid severe water shortages
FSRN Radio News. 11 March 2016.
FSRN Radio News. 11 March 2016.
