Bottled water companies draw flak

Select non-government organisations (NGOs) in Tamil Nadu have voiced their protest against exploitation of ground water by bottled water companies.

The campaigners demonstrated their protest by forming a human chain outside the venue of the first biennial bottled water technology summit being organised by Asian Bottled Water Association.

Around thousand people from 200 organisations across the state raised slogans like 'bottled water contains our tears'. The protesters were later joined by 200 campaigners on a cycle rally from Chengalpet to Chennai.

N Dayalan, convenor of Dalit Panchayat Presidents' Forum in Tamil Nadu, said: "The already dry Palar basin is being targeted by companies like Pepsi, Ford and Mahindra city. The Palar basin is systematically depleted by over extraction of fresh ground water and this is causing salination of water in the area."

A task force of the National Campaign for the Protection of Water has been formed to create awareness among local communities to protect water and other common resources in their areas.

Industry estimates the size of the bottled water business in India at Rs 1,500 crore a year and growing at 30 per cent year-on-year.