People are opposing softdrinks major PepsiCo’s move to manufacture its products in Tirunelveli district is increasing by the day.

An online petition against the beverages company’s move to put up a plant at Gangaikondam SIPCOT in Tirunelveli to manufacture softdrinks has gone viral and support is swelling. At the last count, 79,981 people have signed the petition.

The petition, filed by an individual, has alleged that the company has been given license to use 15 lakh liters of water every day from the river for the period of 99 years. This would made the land nearby unusable and adversely affected the livelihood of the farmers.

The petition said the state government had given license to the company to set up the plant even though there is already another big plant of another company located in the same region.

These would use water from Tamirabarani river. The company already present there uses upto 10 lakh litres per day.
The petition stated that agriculture which is the backbone of Tirunelveli district will be hugely affected if the company siphons out water in such huge quantity.

“The river is also the primary source of drinking water for the residents of Tirunelveli district. If PepsiCo uses 15 lakhs of water every day, the people of Tirunelveli will have to beg other districts for drinking water,” it said.

It may be noted that several NGOs and local people has been conducting protest against the plant in the past. “So we request you to immediately look into this issue and take steps to stop the setting up of the soft drink plant by the multinational corporate giant PEPSICO and cancel the licenses issued to them by the government,” said the petition addressed to the Chief Justice of India, Chief Justice of Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister of India, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and other ministers.