Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) In the News

Our products are safe : Coke, Pepsi
Pepsi and Coke have asserted that their products were "safe" and the soft drink firms were "reviewing" the court order which asked them to display on the beverage bottle the content and composition of aerated water as well as a warning on the content of pesticides.

The Tribune, New Delhi, Dec. 08, 2004, Page No. 17

Wants CNG pollution check
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has asked the Transport department to find out if the rise in the level of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) has to do with the introduction of CNG. NO_x have turned out to be the latest pollutants while the level of usual suspects have gone down. Dikshit also asked the department to evaluate the efficiency of CNG in controlling pollution. Presiding over a review meeting of the department, she said while CNG had reduced pollution levels, there has been a rise in nitrogen oxides. While some have blamed the rise in NO_x on CNG, power plants have also come under focus, she said. NO_x are primary pollutants and react in the atmosphere to form ozone and nitrate particles that are very harmful. These pollutants form a photochemical smog that impairs visibility and causes health damage, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said. To bring down pollution, both hydrocarbons and NO_x have to be controlled, it added.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Dec. 08, 2004, Page 3supp

Cola cos readying response to SC pesticide order
The Supreme Court’s order making it mandatory for soft drink majors to print warnings about possible pesticide residues in their products vindicated the consumers’ right to know. This is the first time in the world that it has been made mandatory for any finished product category to include a labelling declaration about the pesticide residue.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Dec. 08, 2004, Page No. 19

For a clean break
The Supreme Court’s ruling requiring Pepsi and Coca-Cola to display the level of pesticide content on the bottles of soft drinks they sell is a logical conclusion of a campaign claiming that their content is unconscionably high. Consumer rights activists may consider the ruling a victory but it could open up a veritable Pandora’s box of demands that such warnings be placed on other items of common consumptions. …Editorial

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Dec. 08, 2004, Page No. 10

Print pesticide contents on cola cans: SC
Consumers have a right to know what they are drinking. With this assertion the Supreme Court on Monday rejected two petitions by Pepsi and Coca-Cola challenging a Rajasthan High Court (HC) order asking them to print on containers the extent of pesticide residues in their soft drinks. The entire anxiety of the HC stemmed from public interest and “we do not see anything unreasonable or unconstitutional in the HC order”, said a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Justice G P Mathur. Suspending the implementation of the HC order by two weeks, the apex court allowed the two soft drink giants to approach the HC with a plea to what extent they could comply with its directive.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, Dec. 07, 2004

Consumers should know pesticide content in soft drinks: SC
Saying that the consumer has the right to know what he consumes, the Supreme Court today dismissed two petitions filed by soft drink giants, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, challenging a Rajasthan High Court order asking them to print on containers the extent of pesticide residues in their products.While dismissing the Special Leave Petitions filed by Pepsi Foods Ltd and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages (P) Ltd, a Bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Justice G P Mathur allowed them to approach the High Court with a plea as to what extent they could comply with its directive.

Central Chronicle, Bhopal, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 1

SC quashes soft drinks giants's plea
Cola majors, Pepsi and Coke would have to in 'public interest' abide by the Rajasthan High Court order asking them to carry a warning on the bottle indicating that the soft drinks may contain pesticides the Supreme Court (coram, Lahoti, Dharmadhikari, Mathur, JJ) said. Rejecting their appeal against a Rajasthan High Court order of October 8,2004, directing them to do so, the apex court said that the consumer has a right to know the contents of the product he is consuming. "There is nothing illegal, unreasonable or unconstituional in the High Court order. Why can't such a disclosure be made in public interest," the court asked.

The Statesman, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 6

SC dismisses Pepsi, Coke petitions
The Supreme Court today refused to stay the Rajasthan High Court order making it mandatory for soft drink companies to have a warning inscribed on their beverage bottles about the presence of œpesticides to a permitted limit in their product.A Bench of Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Mr Justice D M Dharmadhikari and Mr Justice G P Mathur said there was nothing œunreasonable and unconstitutional in the High Court order.

The Tribune, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 17

Cola pleas dismissed
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by Pepsi and Coca Cola challenging a Rajasthan High Court order asking them to display on the beverage bottle the content and composition of aerated water as well as a warning on the content of pesticides.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 9

SC ticks off cola giants on pesticide petition
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed two petitions filed by soft drink giants, Pepsi and Coca-Cola, challenging a Rajasthan High Court order asking them to print on containers the extent of pesticide residues in their products. While dismissing the Special Leave Petitions filed by Pepsi Foods and Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, the bench allowed them to approach the high court with a plea as to what extent they could comply with its directive. The apex court also suspended implementation of the high court order by two weeks, as the counsels for the two companies said the print on the containers would read as “the contents may have traces of pesticide which is well below the prescribed standard”.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 13

Coke & Pepsi now need to put pesticide-warning labels: SC
Giving a fillip to consumer rights, the Supreme Court today ruled that Pepsi and Coca Cola would have to display on their bottles a warning that the soft drink may contain pesticide residues. A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India R C Lahoti, directed that the language and content of the warning would be finalised by the Rajasthan High Court, which had first ordered such a disclosure. The two soft-drink manufacturers will therefore have to approach the High Court within two weeks with their drafts of the pesticide warning. It all started in August, when a Centre for Science and Environment study showed a sample of colas as having pesticide residue 11-30 times EU standards. The same month the government set up a 15-member JPC under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar to look into the controversy. The JPC eventually upheld the CSE findings and asked government to formulate stringent quality norms for carbonated drinks.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 1

Cola cos must show pesticide content: SC
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed by Pepsi and Coca Cola challenging a Rajasthan High Court order asking them to display on the beverage bottle the content and composition of aerated water as well as a warning on the content of pesticides. The apex court bench comprising Chief Justice RC Lahoti and Justice GP Mathur, however, suspended the operation of the High Court order for two weeks to allow the two soft drink giants to approach the High Court regarding the language of the general warning to be displayed about the pesticides content in the drink. The Judges emphasised that it was necessary for the firms in public interest to carry due warning about he presence of these substances on the bottle.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, Dec. 07, 2004, Page No. 5

City pollution: SC panel gives state four months
The Karnataka State Government has been given a four-month deadline to keep pollution in Bangalore city under check. A Supreme Court authorised committee, which was in Bangalore city, met all officials concerned and secured an undertaking to that effect. Following the SC notice to the State on the alarming pollution levels in the city, an Environment Protection Committee took stock of the progress in the Action Plan for Bangalore which was drawn up last January. Committee chairman Bhure Lal and member Sunita Narayan, director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) were briefed by officials at the meeting. ‘‘Monitoring of pollution in the city, implementing the Pollution Under Control (PCU) system with the inclusion of new norms set by the Union Government, upgrading public transport, LPG conversion and fuel adulteration were the core areas of discussion,’’ Narayan told.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, Nov. 27, 2004, Page 3supp

CSE blames panel for delay in fixing pesticide residue norms
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Friday alleged that the Central Committee for Food Standards (CCFS), which was to finalise pesticide residue norms for soft drinks, has delayed in taking a final decision by referring the matter to another committee. In a statement, the CSE said, "This clearly shows that the Government does not have the necessary will power to decide in favour of public health, and is being led astray by the industry. This makes the recent order of the Rajasthan High Court all the more relevant, since it puts the onus clearly on soft drink companies."

Business Line, New Delhi, Nov. 20, 2004, Page No. 3

Diwali getting quieter
On Diwali eve, there is some good news. Pollution levels monitored over the past three years indicate a definite fall. The anti-cracker campaign launched by Delhi government and a general awareness has led to a fall in sales and this is also reflected in the pollution levels. As far as air pollution levels are concerned, it is the particulate matter which counts the most, says Anumita Sengupta of Centre for Science and Environment. And this, too, has shown a decline. Central Pollution Control Board, which monitors air pollution at nine sites on Diwali day, found that at a non-residential area like ITO where vehicular pollution is high, particulate matter level was 268 microgram per cubic metre on Diwali eve in 2001. On Diwali day, it peaked at 754.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Nov. 12, 2004, page 1supp

Keep the celebrations clean
While Diwali is still two days away, the air pollution level in the city is already on the rise. The thick smog that envelops the city in the morning is clear evidence of this condition. In spite of the no-cracker campaign in full swing, those with respiratory disorders would have a tough time post-Diwali. "The onset of winter results in pollution being built up. The weather conditions become such that nature loses its ability to ventilate. The air becomes heavy and tends to hang closer to the surface of the earth," said Anumita Roy of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Nov. 11, 2004, Page No. 2

Sewage today, safe water tomorrow
Delhi is sitting on a huge garbage dump with ever stinking nullahs and never ending sewage problems. The worst aspect being that even the civic agencies responsible for selecting the correct method of sewage disposal do not seem to have a clue about what to do. The civic agencies have washed their hands off the matter by building expensive water treatment plants. “We have to do away with these centralized water treatment plants which need a lot of investment in both establishing them as well as their maintenace, ”explained the CSE director, Sunita Narain.

The Statesman, New Delhi, Nov. 11, 2004, Page-4spl.

Cola ‘pesticide’ for Andhra cotton farmers Kill them with colas
N. Hanumayya believes he has found the magic formula to rid his cotton plants of pests that made his life miserable. The 50-year-old is one of the 100-odd cotton farmers of Dachepalli and Veerapuram who have sprayed Coke to protect their crop against the ravaging insects. The experiments were also inspired by reports from a Delhi-based NGO, the Centre for Science and Environment, that Coke had pesticide residues.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, Nov. 07, 2004, Page No. 4

Towards a pollution-free Diwali
According to CPCB, 95% of the crackers available in the market violate noise and air pollution norms. Anumita Roychowdhury, Co-ordinator, 'Right to Clean air campaign', Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), remarks, "The real impact in this field was created by the public awareness campaigns carried out by various non-governmental organisations and children from various schools. The efforts of the school children led to a sizeable decrease in the sale of crackers. Such campaigns can become even more effective if the medical community gets actively involved by providing more health-related data and information. People mush be made aware of the various hazards these fire crackers can cause and thus refrain from their use."

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Nov. 06, 2004, Page 7supp

Court blow to cola giants
Rajasthan High Court yesterday dismissed a review petition of soft drink companies against its directive to them to list contents of their products. Chief Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice K.S. Rathore had directed “the respondent companies, namely PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, and all other manufacturers of carbonated beverages and soft drinks, to disclose the composition and contents of the products, including the presence, if any, of pesticides and chemicals, on the bottle, package or container, as the case may be”. They were asked to comply with the order within a month. The order of October 8 had come in response to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Swati Bhati in March 2003 on behalf of the Youth Welfare Society, Jaipur.

While issuing the judgment, the court had deliberated on the presence of pesticides in soft drinks based on a study by the Centre for Science and Environment and the findings of the joint parliamentary committee that was set up to investigate the issue. The advocates told the court that the directive was against Article 14 of the Constitution — which ensures equality before law — as it bound only the manufacturers of beverages and not foodstuff makers.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, Nov. 05, 2004, Page No. 6

Delhi starts the cycle of recycling
By Sanchita Sharma
Small beginning, but a huge endeavour. A series of Bhagidari workshops involving RWAs, MCD, schoolchildren, ragpickers and NGOs has led to successful recycling of waste in 26 of the Capital’s countless colonies. As Delhi runs out of space to dump the 7,500-tonne waste it generates everyday, there is just one way out: recycling. Though it’s already being done in some colonies, such efforts are small and few. Currently, most initiatives are being driven by RWAs and institutes with a social conscience. “It’s a small beginning with little impact. It has to be scaled up quickly to make a real difference,” says R.K. Srinivasan, deputy co-ordinator, national resource management, Centre for Science and Environment.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Nov. 04, 2004, Page No. 5

Colas add fizz to pest control in Andhra
By Ashok Das
Believe it or not! After reports that carbonated soft drinks have a high pesticide content, farmers in Andhra Pradesh have started spraying soft drinks on their crops in the hope that they will work as well as, if not better than, the more expensive pesticides. Earlier this year, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based NGO, reported that most carbonated drinks had a high pesticide content. Soon after the report appeared in newspapers, farmers in Guntur district started spraying their crops with soft drink. As word spread, more and more farmers in Krishna, Khammam and Warangal took to the experiment. "I have heard that some farmers are machine-spraying cola on their crops. But I'm not sure how many are doing this or the acreage covered," said an agriculture department official.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Nov. 04, 2004, Page No. 7

2 yrs on, govt trickle puts off rain harvesting plants
By Sreelatha Menon
Delhi Government has been wanting to harvest rainwater for the past two years. It has even offered upto Rs 50,000 for setting up such plants but in the past two years, only 48 people have managed to get this money. Besides, there are only seven executive engineers on the job in the past two years. The slow progress of scheme, touted as Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s pet, is evident from the situation at the special cell in Varunalaya, the office of the Delhi Jal Board. The design for the rain water harvesting plants has also been a stumbling block. Jal Board cell insists that the design be from the Central Ground Water Board. These designs cost a minimum of Rs 50,000. Critics of the designs include NGO Centre for Science and Environment, which says designs should match requirements and costs should be flexible. CSE expert Salahuddin says none of the applicants who took the designs from CSE have got approval. ‘‘Why should people go for expensive set up when a cheaper and more workable one is there,’’ he says.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Nov. 04, 2004, Page 3supp

Water to come under PFA ambit
A year after the Centre for Science and Environment found unacceptably high levels of pesticides in bottled water manufactured in India, the Centre has decided to amend the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954, to be in a position to take action against bottlers.The Union Cabinet is likely to agree to the amendment of the Act, when it meets on Wednesday, to make water a œfood and thereby, allow for prosecution against those selling water with high levels of impurities or pesticides, if necessary. The levels were found to be much higher than those prescribed by the European Union and in some cases, above World Health Organisation limits. The bottled water manufacturers said they had kept to WHO standards which were less stringent.

The Statesman, New Delhi, Nov. 02, 2004, Page No. 1

Standards for pesticide residue in soft drinks in two months
The Standards for pesticide residue in soft drinks are likely to be decided by the end of the year. The 10th meeting of the Drink and Carbonated Beverages Sectional Committee FAD 14 of the Bureau of Indian Standards that met in Chennai today decided to form a smaller group to look into the scientific and technical aspects that were thrown up at the meeting. The committee, headed by M. Sudarshan from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and comprising representatives of the industry, non-governmental organisations, scientists and BIS officials, will finalise its recommendations in two months. Sunita Narain, Director, CSE, who was present at the meeting, said there were three major points on which the industry disagreed with the NGOs: the level of pesticide residue in the carbonated drinks and its source; the labelling of ingredients in soft drinks and levels of caffeine in cola drinks.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Oct. 28, 2004, Page No. 13

Purity standards for soft drinks by year-end
Purity standards for soft drinks are to be finalised by a panel of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in a couple of months, said its members after a meeting in Chennai on Wednesday. The Carbonated Beverages Sectional Committee, FAD 14 of BIS, on Wednesday decided to form a smaller core committee that would evaluate views received from interested parties and fix standards. These would then be submitted to the main BIS committee. Ms Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, said that consumer groups wanted "health protective standards" for the caffeine used in soft drinks and standards for the final product sold, whose scope was limited to soft drinks.All these outstanding issues are to be sorted out by the core committee. Among the other issues that are to be resolved is the one on labels.

Business Line, New Delhi, Oct. 28, 2004, Page No. 4

More funds for Yamuna plan
By Aruna P. Sharma
The ministry of environment and forests has released funds for Phase II of the Yamuna Action Plan (YAP), amounting to Rs 387.15 crore. While DJB has already submitted its plans for the five sewer rehabilitation and sewage treatment plant projects on which this amount will be spent, environmentalists have raised questions about YAP I, which failed to improve the Yamuna’s water quality. “In the last five years, the government spent over Rs 1,000 crore on cleaning the river under YAP-I, extended phase I and Common Effluent Treatment plants. But pollution in the river has gone up. There should be a scrutiny as to why phase I failed. Without a review, spending more means more money down the drain,” says CSE director Sunita Narain.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Oct. 28, 2004, Page No. 4

Instruments not ready, deadline for pollution norms extended
In just over two months from now, your Euro-2 car`s permissible level of carbon monoxide (CO) emission has to be 0.05 per cent. In other words, more sophisticated equipment, called Four Gas Analysers, will check your vehicles` exhaust gases for CO and hydrocarbons. There`s nothing much to worry though. New Euro-2 vehicles conform to this limit though the current permissible limit is 3 per cent (for CO). The testing methods remain the same ” in case of petrol vehicles idling gas output will be taken while for diesel vehicles free acceleration smoke is measured.The Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based non-governmental organisation, said that as the State Governments failed to crack the whip in time, the PUC operators failed to place orders for new instruments. The manufacturers, in turn, failed to supply adequate numbers of instruments on time. As a result, even this small chance of revamping the ineffective vehicle inspection programme ” that came after 12 long years ” was, the CSE said.

The Hindu, Chennai, Oct. 26, 2004, Page No. 4

That arsenic drink!
If you thought that only manufacturers take umbrage over criticism alleging deficiencies or malpractices, here is an example of even a district administration bristling over a report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of Delhi which found that drinking water in Ballia district (U.P.) contained arsenic as a toxic pollutant. Declaring CSE’s findings to be “baseless and …meant to provoke the people against the administration” the district magistrate and chief medical officer have threatened CSE with a claim for Rs 10 lakh damages. In a democracy people’s welfare is supposed to be paramount, but take the “for the people, of the people” bit with a pinch of salt, when the ire of an administration is kindled.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, Oct. 19, 2004, Page 4supp

High arsenic levels found in drinking water
High levels of deadly arsenic more than the safe limit prescribed by the WHO, have been found in drinking water in Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh, contaminating the primary sources of water in many areas a new study has found. The water samples collected from wells and hand pumps showed the level of arsenic five to seen times more the safe limit prescribed by the WHO, studies conducted by UNICEF, Centre for Science and Environment and Jadavpur University said.

Business Line, New Delhi, Oct. 13, 2004, Page No. 4

Govt gives PUCs a breather on new guidelines
The capital’s 400 pollution-under-control (PUC) centres are dragging their feet on implementation of the new vehicular pollution checking norms, threatening to push back efforts for cleaner air. The norms released by the Ministry of Road Transport were to come into force on October 1. The Delhi government has quietly put it off by a month and has issued letters to the PUC centres. Bhure Lal, who heads the SC committee on environment pollution, dismisses the PUC centres as worthless. ‘‘They achieve little. Only a centralised automated checking system where the tester and the vehicle owner don’t meet can make it foolproof,’’ he told Newsline. However, Centre for Science and Environment additional director Anumita Roychowdhury feels ‘‘the PUCs have to be there’’ in the absence of anything better.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Oct. 12, 2004, Page 3supp

“Make Rainwater Harvesting a Mission”
“All people – individuals households, farmers and industrialists – from urban and rural communities – must become involved in water harvesting programmes to ensure their success,” said Salauddin Saifi of the Centre for Science and Environment, during a visit in Dehradun recently. He said that people must make arrangements to ‘harvest’ the rainfall for their own needs, and community (or government) must channelise the rest for recharging of groundwater for needs of other areas.

Garhwal Post, Dehradun, Oct. 10, 2004, Page No. 2

Colas for crops
The Centre for Science and Environment’s finding early this year that many carbonated soft drinks have high pesticide content and thus are unsafe for human consumption, has a queer spin-off. Farmers in some districts of Andhra Pradesh are taking to spraying Coke, Pepsi and Thums Up on their crops ‘to get rid of pests’. And they claim that the results are good.

Sahara Time, New Delhi, Oct. 09, 2004, Page No. 6

HC bans soft drink sales until contents are displayed
The Rajasthan High Court banned the sale of Pepsi, Coca-Cola and other soft drinks unless the manufacturers displayed on their bottles a list and percentage of contents in the drinks. Delivering its judgement on a PIL by two citizens, a Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Mr Anil Dev Singh, and Mr Justice K S Rathore said since people paid to buy the product, the consumer should know whether it was safe. The petitioners had pointed that despite adverse comments by a Joint Parliamentary Committee and the NGO Centre for Science and Environment on high pesticide residue in Pepsi and Coca-Cola, the companies were not yet informing citizens about the contents of their soft drinks.

Business Line, New Delhi, Oct. 09, 2004, Page No. 4

`Arsenic problem in UP dist'
The Centre of Science and Environment (CSE), based on its laboratory tests, has said that arsenic contamination is affecting remote villages in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district. However, the State Government has denied the claims and has issued legal notices to CSE seeking compensation and apology from CSE. The Ballia District Magistrate and Chief Medical Officer have issued legal notices to CSE, according to the Director of CSE, Ms Sunita Narain. She said the laboratory analysis of hand pump water, hair and nail of people living in the villages of Ballia show arsenic levels much higher than what is considered safe.

Business Line, New Delhi, Oct. 07, 2004, Page No. 19

Arsenic scare spreads from Bengal to Ballia
Laboratory studies sponsored by the Centre for Science and Environment have confirmed that arsenic contamination has reached Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, moving westwards from its traditional region of concentration in Bengal. The CSE announced the findings at a public meeting attended by director Sunita Narain, Dipankar Chakraborti, director of the School of Environmental Studies, Jadavpur University, Binod Khaitan, professor, department of dermatology and venereology at AIIMS, and Paul Deverill, project officer, child environment, Unicef.

The Telegraph, Calcutta, Oct. 06, 2004, Page No. 8

Arsenic levels shoot up in ground water
Arsenic contamination in the ground water, the primary source of drinking water in the country, is increasing gradually. According to the studies conducted by United Nation’s International Children’s Educational Fund (UNICEF), Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Jadavpur University, the arsenic contamination is spreading to Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bihar. Chronic exposure to arsenic, that comes usually from drinking water, can mean skin lesions, pigmentation of the skin and even cancer. Studies have revealed that what began in eight districts of West Bengal has become a problem in eastern UP districts and places like Ballia.

The Times of India, New Delhi, Oct. 06, 2004

Another blip on arsenic radar: UP, Bihar also affected
After crippling large parts of West Bengal, reports of arsenic contamination in groundwater have come in from Uttar Pradesh. Villagers in Ballia district are showing symptoms like skin cancer after consuming contaminated water for decades. Laboratory analysis of handpump water, hair and nail of people has found levels of arsenic much higher than what is considered safe, New Delhi-based NGO, Centre for Science and Environment said. Other studies by Jadavpur University showed arsenic presence in neighbouring districts of Bhojpur and Buxar in Bihar. Arsenic leaching into groundwater is a common phenomenon in West Bengal and Bangladesh. But lately the incidence is also found in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar along the Ganga basin. It is a naturally-occurring mineral as part of coal and iron ore. Situation is exacerbated when huge quantities of groundwater is extracted for irrigation.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, Oct. 06, 2004, Page No. 5

Arsenic pollution of groundwater spreading: CSE
Arsenic contamination of groundwater is fast spreading to newer areas, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The latest area affected was Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, where CSE lab studies found arsenic levels much higher than what was considered safe, said CSE director Sunita Narain at a public meeting in New. Pointing out that “crippling of India” is a serious threat, Ms Narain said the government should create a clear policy and action plan to ensure that people were not forced to drink toxic water. The least the government could do was to inform people about the quality of water so that they know what they were drinking and the related risks involved, she said.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, Oct. 06, 2004

CSE finds arsenic contamination in Gangetic region
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) today claimed that it had detected high levels of arsenic in the ground water westward along the Gangetic plains, with the Ballia district in Uttar Pradesh being particularly affected. While the Ballia administration denied this and even sent a legal notice to the CSE saying it was working against "national interest," the CSE director, Sunita Narain, said she stood by the findings and wants immediate remedial action by the State Government, including better monitoring of ground water. The laboratory analysis of hand-pump water and the hair and nails of people living in the villages of Ballia has shown levels of arsenic much higher than what is considered safe, Ms. Narain said.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Oct. 06, 2004, Page No. 13

Environmental success
If the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) latest rating of the paper industry is any indication, direct action by non-governmental organisations works and how. Since 1998, when the CSE’s first rating of the industry was published, the paper industry appears to have transformed itself.In the first rating, just 4 per cent of the industry had an ISO 140001 rating, which confirms whether a unit is environment-friendly; today this is up to 50 per cent, and another 25 per cent are likely to get it by the end of the year.While this could be attributed to several reasons (companies looking at exports find an ISO certification a handy thing, for instance), what is encouraging is that so much has changed without much supporting policy action from the government.On average, mills in India have reduced their water consumption by a fourth in four years, though they pay next to nothing for water, and penalties for pollution aren’t exactly back-breaking either. While there is progress, though, much remains to be done...editorial.

Business Standard, New Delhi, Oct. 04, 2004, Page No. 11

‘Paper Industry not eco-friendly’
The country’s paper and pulp industry is improving its environmental performance but still complies poorly with global environmental practices, according to a new study by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The environmental watchdog, in its Green Rating Project, has upped the industry’s environmental score to 29.1% in 2004, from 27.4% in 1999, but said that the industry used vast quantities of water and chlorine and employed obsolete technology, producing high levels of pollution in the form of solid waste and lime sludge compared to global trends.

Business Line, New Delhi, Oct. 04, 2004, Page No. 13

ITC Bhadrachalam gets green award
ITC’s Bhadrachalam paper manufacturing unit has secured the top position in the Centre for Science and Environment’s green rating of the pulp and paper sector. The ITC unit displaced last year’s winner JK Paper Mill to second place. The biggest loser was Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills which slipped from second place last year to 11th position in the public rating of the environmental performance of companies, a CSE release said.

The Financial Express – Delhi – Oct. 03, 2004

Not just on paper
With a 33 percent cut in water usage and a doubling of social forestry, the paper industry has come a long way. But it is still a big polluter. Round one to civil society , That , above all, is the lesson to be drawn from the Centre For Science and Environment (CSE) latest green ratings of the country’s paper producing industry. For, though environment pollution laws in the country still tend to be quite lax and the penalties nominal, the paper industry has transformed itself voluntarily over the last four to five years. Apart from a 15 percent improvement in the CSE ratings over the last ones in 1998 when just four percent of mills had an environment friendly ISO 14001 certification.

Business Standard, New Delhi, Oct. 02, 2004, Page No. 14

Pulp industry gets eco-friendly
An independent rating by the Centre For Science and Environment (CSE) has shown that the “environmental nightmare sector” of the Indian pulp and paper industry is increasingly becoming eco-friendly. However, as pointed out by the leaders of the industry, keeping in mind the existing constraints, can environment friendly measures go and in hand with sustained development?

The Tribune, New Delhi, Oct. 02, 2004, Page No. 21

Delhi fails to meet pollution control deadline
Putting a question mark over the resolve to wage a battle against air and vehicular pollution, the Delhi Government and other cities including Chennai, Mumbai and Kolkata have failed to meet the October 1 deadline for enforcing upgraded Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms. The norms were to become effective all over the country but the State Governments have failed to act and put in place a proper implementation plan putting a spoke in the wheel of the inspection programme.Reacting to the callous approach of the various Governments including the Delhi Government, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Coordinator (Air Pollution), Anumita Roychowdhury, said the most unfortunate part of the whole situation was that even today there was no clear plan of action to contain this cascading delay and implement the upgraded norms.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Oct. 02, 2004, Page No. 4

Failure to implement new pollution norms criticised
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the State Governments to implement the upgraded pollution under control (PUC) norms. While the metro administrations, including Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai claim to have postponed the implementation by two to four months, other State Governments do not even have an implementation plan in place, a statement by the CSE said here today.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Oct. 02, 2004, Page No. 8

'People-industry cooperation can save environment'
Former President KR Narayanan on Thursday advocated the need for collaboration between people and industry to improve the environment. "Collaboration between people and industry is important to improve the environment," he said while releasing Centre for Science and Environment's (CSE) green rating of the pulp and paper sector. Mr Narayanan lauded the CSE for its contribution in spreading environmental consciousness. ITC-Badrachalam unit scored maximum points with 47 per cent followed by JK Paper Mills with 45.2 per cent and Bilt Graphic with 45.2 per cent. The managing directors of the companies were also present on the occasion.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, Oct. 01, 2004, Page No. 3

Industry News
Paper industry environment-friendly
Pulp and Paper industry, a guzzler of two most important natural resources – water and wood – was rated by the Centre for Science and Environment for the second time. The sector showed considerable improvement – the cleanest was ITC’s Bhadrachalam unit followed by J K Paper Mills in the second position. The project, to rate 30 industries in the sector, was started by CSE in 1999 as an independent tool to make the sector’s dismal environmental balancesheets greener.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, Oct. 01, 2004, Page No. 4

Paper improves green score
CSE says `environmental nightmare sector` has improved performance.The Indian paper and pulp industry had improved its environmental performance in the last five years, said the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) in a report released today.The Delhi-based environment watchdog’s Green Rating Project has given the industry a score of 29.1 per cent in 2004, against 27.4 per cent in 1999, when it had first rated the pulp and paper industry.The findings were released by former President KR Narayanan here today. “The good news is that even this environmental nightmare sector is showing big changes,” said Chandra Bhushan, coordinator of the Green Rating Project.of the 30 units evaluated by the CSE, as many as six have got a rating of three leaves, the highest being five leaves. The list is topped by ITC Ltd’s Bhadrachalam unit, followed by the Hari Shankar Singhania group’s JK Paper Mills and Lalit Mohan Thapar’s Bilt Graphics.

Business Standard, New Delhi, Oct. 01, 2004, Page No. 1

Paper industry on a right path
One of the most "environmentally devastating" sectors, the pulp and paper industry appears to have taken steps in the right direction. On the second report card of the industry, the sector shows "visible improvements" in environmental performance, according to the rating by the Centre For Science and Environment. Released here today, the green rating reveals that companies in the sector have taken initiatives to improve their environment performance when compared to the first rating conducted by CSE in 1999. The ITC Ltd's Bhadrachalam unit has been rated the greenest of them all while the runners up is JK Paper Mills of Raygada in Orissa. The third spot in the ratings has gone to BILT Graphics of Bhigwan in Maharashtra.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Oct. 01, 2004, Page No. 3

Abattoir behind Delhi zoo: What about traffic snarls?
It is a complete antithesis to the NCR concept. After encounting extensive protests on shifting of Iagah Abattoir to Ghazipur in east Delhi, the Delhi government is now considering an alternative site. This site is right in the heart of the city – adjacent to the Millennium Park and behind the zoo on the Ring Road. Director Centre for Science and Environment Sunita Narain, Archeological of India, DDA commissioner (planning) and L &DO department will also be consulted.

The Times of India, New Delhi, Sept. 28, 2004

Agra mulls clean-up act for Taj, Delhi style
By Saurabh Sinha and Hemendra Chaturvedi
Inspired by Delhi, Agra is likely to soon switch to compressed natural gas (CNG) as the preferred clean fuel for its vehicles. The world-famous Taj is said to be turning yellow with pollution, notably from vehicles. Though the Supreme Court had shut polluting industries near the Taj, vehicles still ply on unclean fuel in Agra. Confirming the move, Agra division commissioner Ashok Kumar said: "We plan to introduce CNG in Agra and the matter has been taken up with Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL)." Centre for Science and Environment director Sunita Narain, who fought for Delhi's CNG conversion, said the UP government must ensure that adequate demand for CNG in the city of Taj. "The change in Delhi was very tough. Strict steps must be taken if the government is serious about it."

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Sept. 16, 2004, Page No. 2

Rainwater to the rescue of residents
For the hundreds of parched residents of the posh Westend Colony in south Delhi, rainwater has actually come in as a boon. According to residents, the colony has successfully launched and implemented a major rainwater harvesting project in the area. They claim, the sporadic monsoon so far has already managed to raise the water levels by over 3 feet, thanks to the 19 recharge structures placed at strategic locations around the colony. Annually, about 4,96,00,000 litres of rainwater can be harvested from our colony. These figures have been derived at after a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)," said Poonam Bisht, convenor of the rainwater harvesting project in the Westend residents' welfare association (RWA).

Times of India, New Delhi, Sept. 16, 2004

Fatal CNG cylinder takes another toll
An RTV went up in flames in Kingsway camp after its CNG cylinder leaked on Tuesday afternoon, injuring eight people. The incident took place at 3 pm opposite Lakshmi Dairy near Hudson Lane. The RTV (route number 122) was plying between Jehangirpuri and Mori Gate. The court directed the state transport authority to institute a third-party inspection of the CNG buses, which is being carried out at Burari," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, co-ordinator of the Right to Clean Air campaign of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The Times of India, New Delhi, Sept. 15, 2004

SOS for H2O: Will pricing save it?
By M Rajshekhar
Over the last two-and-a-half years, people in this Kerala village have been agitating to get a neighbouring Coke plant shut down. According to them, Coke’s water mining has parched the lands of over 2,000 people. There is a growing tendency to see rainwater harvesting as a fix-all solution. Sumita Dasgupta, a coordinator at Delhi’s Centre for Science and Environment, says two aspects to solving the crisis. One is recharging the groundwater. This is water recycling come in. The second has to do with controlling what we consume. And that is where the pricing of water comes in.

Business World, Sept. 13, 2004, Page No. 14

Closure of soft drinks plants demanded
Demanding closure of all Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottling plants, social activists from Indian Social Action Forum today questioned the continuing supply of "these poisonous drinks'' all over the country. They have also called for a protest demonstration on Parliament Street in New Delhi. "After the Centre for Science and Environment report last year, the supply of these drinks has been stopped at the Parliament cafeteria. But the supply of these drinks continues all over the country. This is even when it has been found that the drinks contain pesticides beyond permissible limit.

The Hindu, New Delhi, Sept. 01, 2004, Page No. 3

Govt turns heat on manufacturers
Plying on CNG cuts down your fuel cost to half as compared to petrol. Yet, the CNG movement hasn't really caught on when it comes to private cars. Reason being, the various hurdles faced by car owners if they want to go in for conversion. Now the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) has turned the heat on car manufacturers, stressing on their plans to introduce CNG dedicated cars. "Countries like Pakistan and Argentina have predominant numbers of cars running on CNG. Now, even China is going in for a major CNG programme," said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, co-ordinator of Right to Clean Air campaign with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

The Times of India, New Delhi, August 11, 2004, Page No. 4

Unnatural Disaster
Record floods and drought are devastating South Asia, but man is as much to blame as nature. The floods, worst in a century according to relief workers, which have killed 1,500 people, disrupted the lives of 63 million and released a disease epidemic. A full two-thirds of Bangladesh is now under water, while 1.2 million homes have been washed away region-wide. No one can control where or when the rains come, of course. But India has the power to alleviate its water woes, according to Sumita Dasgupta of the independent, New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. "India has a lot of water," she says. "Even in drought years, we get enough. We just don`t manage it."

Time, Singapore, August 09, 2004, Page No. 16

That ‘zing’ in soft drinks may after all be chemical
While soft drinks sold in the market have high levels of harmful chemicals such as phosphoric acid, caffiene and ethylene glycol, the law that could be used to regulate these remains under- utilised. Ms Sunita Narain from the Centre for Science and Environment said at a “South Asian Media Briefing Workshop on Food Safety and Pesticide Contamination”, that the Indian law allows up to 200 mg of caffeine in 1 kg of soft drinks and does not differentiate between different types of soft drinks.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, August 6, 2004, Page No. 11

CSE urges govt to approve BIS draft norms for carbonated drinks
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has demanded that the draft norms formulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on carbonated soft beverages like Pepsi-Cola should be approved and made mandatory immediately. It has criticised the “compromising” steps taken by the Union ministry of health and family welfare on the issue. The CSE has also demanded the citizen’ right to access potable water, free from any health and hygenic hazards. It has urged the government to formulate a policy for regulation of pesticide use and lowering the maximun residue levels (MRLs) of pesticide residues in foods as per international norms.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, August 9, 2004

Reuse treated sewage, DJB told
Treated and recycled sewage water will now be used as coolant water in the thermal power plants of Delhi. Directives to this effect were issued by chief secretary S. Reghunathan to the Delhi Jal Board. This followed a presentation by the Centre for Science and Environment on how treated effluent was being discharged back into the drains where it was getting mixed with sewage again before entering Yamuna. Thus, the pollution load on the river is not coming down. Director of CSE, Sunita Narain in her presentation said that the treated effluent water should either be used for diluting the pollution load of river Yamuna or else be put to other use.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 07, 2004, Page No. 4

Yamuna to be freed from polluted water
By Pramod Kumar
The filthy Yamuna will now be spared from the "treated effluent water" also. The government is considering to divert the treated effluent water to major thermal power stations in New Delhi to cool the plant. Besides, all sewage treatment plants and common effluent treatment plants have also been asked for optimum utilisation of their facilities in the capital. The Centre for Science and Environment has been asked by the Delhi government to prepare comprehensive "action plan" in this regard. The Delhi chief secretary S. Regunathan called a meeting of senior officials of all concerned departments on Friday and discussed the matter at length. The meeting was attended by representatives of the CSE also.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, August 07, 2004, Page No. 9

Needed a set of standards for bottled water and soft drinks
According to the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSIT), at least five brands of bottled water available on the market contain impurities. As soft drinks contain water and may also contain pesticide residues, so many bottled soft drinks on the market is of concern. It is therefore vital for us to ensure that bottled water and soft drinks follow a set of standards but as long as we do not have any legal standards that define what is clean to potable water municipalities and bottling plants can supply water whether or not it is potabel because a citizen can do little to take them to court. (Editorial).

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, July 28, 2004, Page No. 5

BIS list: A world`s first for soft drinks, but cos refuse to swallow
If the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has its way, the Indian soft drink industry will be the first in the world to have norms for finised product which is 0.0005mg/litre. In its draft standard for carbonated beverages, BIS has also recommended health advisory for caffeinated energy drinks above 145 mg/lt.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, July 22, 2002, Page No. 8

Don`t do the dew, advises CSE
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) director Sunita Narain says non-cola carbonated drinks should be free of caffeine. The CSE found caffeine in Pepsi`s Mountain Dew. "Caffeine drinks are addictive and such products should have a health advisory saying that the beverage is not recommended for children, pregnant and lactating women and people sensitive to caffeine," she adds. "Mountain Dew is the only non-cola soft drink with caffeine," she said. "Caffeine is a part of the Mountain Dew formulation and we sell the same product in other parts of the world, including developed countries. Since there is a market for de-caf products in the US, we also sell de-caf Mountain Dew there," said a Pepsi spokesperson. None of the other Pepsi non-cola beverages have caffeine.

Hindustan Times, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 15

CSE accuses Pepsi of selling caffeine-laced 'Mountain Dew'
Centre for Science and Environment today said PepsiCo's 'Mountain Dew' contained caffeine despite being a non-cola drink, a charge the multinational firm countered saying the soft drink was being sold with the same contents wordwide.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 8

Who will mandate norms - BIS or CCFS, cola cos ask
The draft guidelines on the pesticide residue limi circulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) may not cut much ice as soft drink manufactueres are likely to seek refuge in the multiplicity of Government departments prescribing norms on the issue. The companies claim that there is confusion over the draft being circulated ahead of the Health Ministry guidelines.

Business Line, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No.6

Water of carbonated drinks to conform with EU standards
The Centre for Science and Environment welcomed the government draft standards for input water in the soft drinks, though it wants the entire list of BIS standards to be made mandatory. Yesterday the Union health ministry had announced that the input water in any of the carbonated drinks or colas had to conform with the EU standards. There is no talk about testing the final product.

The Statesman, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 2

Call for enacting softdrink quality norms
A day after the health ministry’s notification enforcing the bottled water norms for softdrink manufacturers, cola major PepsiCo India said it welcomed the decision. “With this step the standards prescribed in India for carbonated beverages come in line with the highest international standards being followed anywhere in the world including in the European Union,” said a company spokesperson. The Consumer Co-ordination Council, a coalition of 55 leading consumer groups, and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday urged the government to make the BIS recommendations the law. BIS, which comes under the ministry of agriculture, food and consumer affairs, began revising its standards for carbonated beverages after a CSE report in August 2003, cited pesticide residues in bottled drinks sold by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in the country“Industrialised world has not set standards for pesticide residue in its finished products, like softdrinks, because it has by and large cleaned up its agricultural produce and drinking water of contaminants,” Sunita Narain, director, CSE. She added that a large part of the developing world faced the growing problem of pesticide contamination in food and water, and therefore, it becomes imperative to finalise standards for processed food products.

Business Standard, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 4

NGOs want standards for soft drinks
The national coalition of 55 leading voluntary organisations in association with the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) today demanded the setting up of mandatory quality standards for soft drinks. It took exception to the norms notified by the Health Ministry which pertain to only water used in manufacturing them and not the final product.“As provided under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), the standards should be for the final product which in this case is soft drinks and not restricted to only the raw materials used in its manufacture,” CSE chief Sunita Narain told newspersons here.

The Tribune, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 17

E.U. norms for water used in soft drinks
The Union Health Ministry has taken the first step towards setting new standards for soft drinks. In a notification, the Ministry has prescribed that the quality of water used in production of soft drinks should be the same as that set last year for packaged drinking water. In other words, it should follow the standards of the European Union (EU). Welcoming the Ministry's notification, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) expressed the hope that the Ministry would go the "whole hog'' and adopt the draft standards proposed by BIS for the soft drinks as a whole without any delay, since water was an important ingredient in soft drinks, it would be ideal that standards were laid down for the finished product in its entirety, instead of just one element in it..

The Hindu, New Delhi, July 22, 2004, Page No. 13

Think pollution is down? Nitrogen dioxide levels tell a different story
By Chad Heeter
Though the air in Delhi is much cleaner in recent years, it’s no time for complacency. Experts say increasing levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in city traffic is the latest cause of worry. While key pollutants — carbon monoxide, particulate matter and sulphur dioxide — levels are down, NO₂ levels are on the rise ‘‘Especially in traffic intersections,’’ said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) member secretary Dr B. Sengupta. Though NO₂ has not reached ‘‘alarming levels,’’ said Anumita Roychowdhury, Associate Director at the Centre for Science and Environment, there is cause for concern. ‘‘Nobody has assessed where the NO2 has come from,’’ she said. But many air quality experts agreed that inspection and maintenance of all vehicles is essential. Some say a stronger PUC (Pollution Under Control) program — one that includes a NOx test — is needed.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, July 10, 2004, Page 3supp

Yamuna, transport tops pollution panel’s concerns
The Bhure Lal committee today asked Delhi government to focus on the crucial Yamuna pollution and expedite the implementation of its transport policy. The committee comprising Chairman Bhure Lal and environmentalist Sunita Narain today made a presentation to the government. It has set the goals for the government in combating water and air pollution. The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Environment Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, Industries Minister Mangat Ram Singhal, Chief Secretary S Regunathan and senior officials from Industries, Environment, Delhi Jal Board and other departments.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, July 08, 2004, Page 3supp

Diesel vehicles fouling up air, panel tells govt
By Shubhajit Roy
The Bhure Lal committee today sounded the alarm for the Delhi government over the rapid growth of diesel cars in the city. If unchecked, Delhi’s bid to clean up its air may go up in smoke was the message. Delhi government’s top brass sat through an hour-and-half-long presentation by the committee. Centre for Science and Environment Director Sunita Narain, who is a member of the committee, said: ‘‘These cars have shown an unprecedented 106 per cent annual increase since 1998-99. This is one of the leading factors in the rising levels of oxides of nitrogen.’’ Experts say these oxides cause respiratory ailments. Studies have revealed that these contribute to formation of ozone which not only affects the lungs but also impacts the heart adversely. It also causes increased infant mortality.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, July 08, 2004, Page 1supp

Wazirabad-Okhla Barrage stretch of Yamuna dead: EPCA
The 22-km stretch of the Yamuna from Wazirabad to Okhla Barrage in Delhi is 'dead'. The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), headed by former IAS officer Bhure Lal, on Wednesday made a presentation before Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and apprised her about the prevalent pollution level in the Capital. The EPCA apprised Ms Dikshit that the 22-km stretch of the Yamuna from Wazirabad to Okhla Barrage is dead as the Dissolved Oxygen (DO) level has reached zero level. "This stretch of the Yamuna was most polluted. At Nizamudin, the DO level also reached zero, while at Palla, it is eight," said Ms Narain.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, July 08, 2004, Page No. 3

6 nullahs add to Yamuna pollution
Six nullahs are the main culprits when it comes to majority of the pollution load in Yamuna. In a presentation to the Delhi government, the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) pointed out the targets achieved with respect to controlling pollution and what should be the road ahead. "Earlier we were just monitoring the pollution levels, but we decided to look at the main causes of why Yamuna continues to be a drain. The system of treating pollutants and then releasing them into the drain again is defying the purpose," an EPCA member said. Meanwhile, the EPCA is against any construction being undertaken on the banks of the Yamuna. "There is no clarity on the issue of the sports village being planned on the Yamuna banks. The Delhi government has not given clearance for it," another member Sunita Narain said.

The Times of India, New Delhi, July 08, 2004, Page No. 5

Pesticide industry to fund medical tests
Seeking an end to the "disinformation" campaign against pesticides, industry dismissed the demand for a ban on endosulfan, saying it is a safe, effective and economical pesticide. It also agreed to finance medical tests of people in Padre village of Kasargode in Kerala to establish the real causes behind their ailments allegedly caused by endosulfan. "There is a malicious tirade to get a safe, effective and economical pesticide like endosulfan banned when it is being used in over 60 countries. Clearly, it cannot lead to health problems in a single village", Chairman, Crop Care Federation of India, Raju Shroff, said. Coming down heavily on environmentalists, including the Centre for Science and Environment, he said it had failed to conduct and report about confirmatory tests for the residue analysis.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, June 30, 2004, Page No. 7

Will banning endosulfan solve the problem?
By Latha Venkatraman
When the kharif sowing season starts in the right earnest, there will be one issue that will concern both the agro-chemical industry as well as the environmentalists - endosulfan. The industry's concern is rooted in the fear that offtake of this general purpose pesticide may be impacted this season as the endosulfan issue has come up once again. On the other hand, the environmentalists' anxiety would be the consequences of constant use of pesticides. The endosulfan issue, which first came up in 2001 following reports of incidence of deformities and diseases in Padre, a village in Kerala's Kasargod district, because of the use of this pesticide, was once again a subject of discussion recently after the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Director, Ms Sunita Narain, spoke on the subject in Kerala.

Business Line, New Delhi, July 06, 2004, Page No. 3

Vehicular Air Pollution
Doubts aired over Euro II
By JAYANTA BASU
The combination of stricter tailpipe emission norms, to be introduced from October 1, and mandatory Euro II for new vehicles is not going to help the lungs of Calcutta. That’s what Sunita Narain, director of Centre for Science and Environment and one of the spearheads of Delhi’s air clean-up drive, has told environment minister Manab Mukherjee. “We are aware that Euro II won’t be a permanent solution, but at least it’s a step in the right direction,” says Mukherjee. On tailpipe emission norms, he agrees that a fuel shift must be the aim. Narain, in town for a British Council workshop for environmental journalists, says: “The major vehicular pollution-related problems of Calcutta are respirable particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. These cannot be monitored with the new emission standards.”

The Telegraph, Calcutta, July 07, 2004, Page 3supp

CSE wants ST hike on diesel in Delhi
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based NGO, has demanded that diesel and diesel-based vehicles in Delhi be made more expensive to discourage the fuel's use "in the interest of public health". The NGO has sought an increase in sales tax on diesel and imposition of emission tax on diesel cars. It has also called for enforcement of Euro IV standards for all vehicles from 2005. CSE has said that though Delhi has the country's highest per capita income, it still has the lowest diesel prices.

Business Line, New Delhi, June 26, 2004, Page No. 19

Pesticide parameters for cola fizzes out
Last Summer's media controversy over pesticides in aerated drinks seems to have lost its fizz. The sub-committee to the Central Committee on Food Safety (CCFS), under the Union Health Ministry, took no decision on the recommendation on the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted after the controversy. "The recommendation of the sub-committee although useful, is not binding on the CCFS. It was discussion at the early stage. The CCFS is free not to accept the suggestion made by the sub-committee," Centre's food adulteration officer said.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, June 25, 2004, Page No. 5

Health sub-panel junks JPC report
By Sonu Jain
It might be another year before you get to know whether your soft drink contains safe levels of pesticides. Describing as "unscientific" the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s 300-page report on the subject — led by Sharad Pawar, the panel came out with recommendations on what needs to be done — the Pesticide Residues Sub-Committee, under the Ministry of Health, met for an hour today and indicated that "a year-long monitoring" would be required before moving ahead. The sub-committee decided to undertake a nationwide monitoring of soft drinks for pesticide residues. An experts group would be formed to work out modalities for the monitoring exercise. According to the sub-committee, the JPC report is "unscientific" and, for any standards to be set, additional monitoring and work will be required. The deliberations today will be forwarded to the Health Ministry.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, June 25, 2004, Page No. 1

Final product norms for soft drinks being delayed: CSE
In the on-going controversy surrounding the presence of pesticides in colas, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has alleged that the process of setting final product standards for carbonated water has been put off for the time being. It has, in a statement, said that the sub-committee under the Central Committee for Food Standards (CCFS) today decided to undertake a nationwide monitoring of soft drinks for pesticide residues. "Worse still, the sub-committee recommended setting up of another expert group to work out the modalities of the monitoring exercise. The sub-committee's recommendation will now be forwarded to the Union Health Minister, via the Central Committee for Food Standards (CCFS)," said CSE in a statement.

Business Line, New Delhi, June 25, 2004, Page No. 6

‘New norms for soft drinks being delayed’
The controversy over the presence of pesticides in soft drinks samples has taken a new turn. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which brought the problem to limelight, today alleged tha the expertsa panel set up by the Government to set new standards for soft drinks was deliberately trying to delay it.

The Hindu, New Delhi, June 25, 2004, Page No. 13

CSE claims inaction
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has alleged that the government is playing into the hands of soft drink majors by delaying implementaion of joint parliamentary committee (JPC) recommendations on pesticide in soft drinks. A press release issued by CSE has said that the Pesticide Residues Sub_Committee, which met today had managed to block the implementation of the JPC recommendations.

Business Standard, New Delhi, June 25, 2004, Page No. 2

Govt planning to make rain water harvesting mandatory for all houses
Water Resources Minister T.M. Jacob said that the Government was planning to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for existing houses also. He was inaugurating the valedictory function of a State-level media seminar on rainwater harvesting jointly organised by Jalanidhi, the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project of the State Government and Thiruvananthapuram Press Club. The State Government would bring in a piece of legislation to make rainwater harvesting mandatory in existing houses also, after reaching a consensus on the issue with all sections concerned, Jacob said. Earlier, inaugurating the seminar, environmentalist and Centre for Science and Environment Director Sunita Narain stressed the need for implementing rainwater harvesting schemes as a solution for drinking water scarcity. "Rather than go in for big projects to tackle the water scarcity problem, rainwater should be collected where it falls. This will help replenish declining groundwater reserves," she said.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, June 23, 2004, Page No. 3

`Water literacy movement must'
Water should become everyone's business if India is to cope with the water shortages that confront most parts of the country, said Ms Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment. Inaugurating a workshop on rainwater harvesting organised by the Kerala Government-backed Jalanidhi and the Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, she said that a movement for `water literacy' must be launched to spread awareness about the various issues related to water and its usage in India.

Business Line, New Delhi, June 23, 2004, Page No. 19

Buoyed by CSE findings, State set to reap a rich water harvest
The findings of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that rainwater harvesting can certainly revive the dwindling water table has come as a morale booster to the Kerala Government which has embarked on an ambitious project on water harvesting and artificial ground water recharge. The results of the CSE-sponsored experiment held in Delhi on its sample harvesting projects site in Delhi have scientifically proved that there is a stable and steady rise in the level of ground water recorded in these projects. "Rainwater harvesting can revive the dwindling water table but only if the government stops paying lip service and becomes serious about it," the CSE survey report said.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, June 18, 2004, Page No. 5

Rain-water harvesting works: CSE
A survey conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment has found evidence to show that rainwater harvesting can increase groundwater levels significantly. The survey was conducted at rainwater harvesting projects set up by CSE and the data spans the years 2002-2003, during pre and post-monsoon periods. The survey showed that the ‘‘data collected before and after monsoons showed that every site recorded a sharp rise in the water table — ranging from five metres in Shriram School (Vasant Vihar) to roughly 10 metres in Janaki Devi College (Rajinder Nagar). CSE director Sunita Narain said, "The two-year data shows that rainwater harvesting has the potential to check the decline of groundwater and stabilise it. If we can continue to do this over the years, at least at the local level, groundwater can be recharged."

The Indian Express, New Delhi, June 16, 2004, Page No. 3 sup

Stress on rain water harvesting
The National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) and Uttar Pradesh Groundwater Association jointly organised a conference on ‘Rain Water Harvesting’. The conference was inaugurated by Minister for Small Irrigation and Groundwater Development, Shakir Ali, while director of Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain, delivered a keynote address. Narain gave a presentation on ‘Making Water Everybody’s Business’. She sad that 80% of agricultural production and 90% of drinking water came from ground water. She said that water was the starting point for all attempts to get rid of poverty and giving food security.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, June 11, 2004, Page 2supp

Deadline for introduction of CNG fixed
Lucknowites will soon have the option to get their fuel tanks filled with alternative fuels as Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority has fixed December 31, 2005, as the deadline to convert 1,500 tempo/taxi, 200 buses/minibuses and 40 auto-rickshaws running on Lucknow roads to be on CNG. “Do not waste time, time is precious. Emulate Delhi model and all your problems will be over,” stated Sunita Narain while narrating her experience of championing the cause of cleaner air for National Capital Region.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, June 11, 2004, Page 1supp

Stress on cleaner Lucknow
A road map for a cleaner Lucknow was chalked out by the Chairman of the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPA) for National Capital Region, Bhure Lal in Lucknow. The authority also named the Department of Transport as the nodal agency responsible for monitoring of all deadlines aimed at the introduction of CNG in Uttar Pradesh State Capital. Director of Centre for Science and Environment, Sunita Narain was also present as a member of the panel and called for pushing the agenda of clean and healthy Lucknow at all forums.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, June 11, 2004, Page 1supp

Water Resources
Willl our kids grow up to a world without water?
By Shantanu Nandan & Nandini Raghavendra
India is already 'water stressed' and by 2025, there'll be an absolute scarcity. So are we doing enough to tackle the crisis? "Urban India is a major destroyer of water. Recycling of water is a must here. Also, Urban India must pay for their water, like in South Africa where up to 50 litre per capita is free. Anything beyond that is priced. We can adopt a similar system," says Sunita Narain, Director of the Centre for Science and Environment.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, June 06, 2004, Page No. 7

Delhi still polluted: Study
By Chetan Chauhan
Delhi's air may appear clean to its citizens. But it is not so clean if pollution levels of some other Asian cities are looked at. A study done by a Boston-based institute says that the national Capital is still one of the most polluted cities of Asia, though the pollution levels have fallen since introduction of CNG. Delhi's air may appear clean to its citizens. But it is not so clean if pollution levels of some other Asian cities are looked at. A study done by a Boston-based institute says that the national Capital is still one of the most polluted cities of Asia, though the pollution levels have fallen since introduction of CNG. Scientists from TERI and CSE also took part in the discussion on the study.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, May 20, 2004, Page No. 5

‘We are rich to introduce toxin, poor to regulate it’
Technology is improving, but pollution keeps increasing. We are always one step behind, said Centre for Science and Environment director, Sunita Narain, while delivering a talk on ‘Urban Life: A living hazard’. The talk was chaired by Bhurelal, chairman of the Supreme Court appointed EPCA and attended by former president K.R. Naraynan. While linking issues of health with those of pesticides, water and air pollution, Narain talked about the lack of a proper regulatory mechanism for pesticides in India. ‘‘Safety is not about large numbers. It is about what is safe to ingest over a lifetime while setting standards of what is allowed and to enforce the same.’’ She said though regulation defines the acceptable daily intake of pesticides, it is not implemented in the country.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, May 19, 2004, Page 4supp

VEHICULAR AIR POLLUTION
Roadmap to reduce vehicular pollution
By EC THOMAS
The new auto fuel policy has laid out a roadmap to cut down vehicular pollution in Indian cities. It is an important step towards cleaning the air of vehicular pollution in the next seven years. The National Auto Fuel Policy envisages a phased programme for introducing vehicular emission norms in the country by 2010. The policy seeks to improve the fuel quality and vehicular engine specifications. It has proposed that liquid fuels remain the main auto fuel throughout the country and suggested the use of CNG and LPG in cities affected by higher pollution levels to enable vehicle owners get a choice of fuel and technology combination. The Mashelkar roadmap prescribes an incremental approach for upgradation of fuel standards and vehicle design. The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an NGO, says there is enough evidence of people's health falling victim to critical levels of pollution. The policy says that most of the cities it targets will get Euro III standards, which are incrementally better than Euro II, in 2010. The CSE feels that this totally ignores Delhi's "experience of technological leap frogging with aggressive use of alternative fuels and quicker implementation of advanced emission norms.

Garhwal Post, Dehradun, April 25 - May 05, 2004, Page No. 4

Vehicular Air Pollution
Clean myth shattered: NO₂ on rise
By Pallavi Majumdar
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the nitrogen dioxide levels have increased at a rate of 15% between 2002 and 2003. The increase has been seen across residential, industrial areas and traffic intersections. “Though the buses have been converted to CNG, the number of diesel vehicles are increasing. The share of diesel vehicles has gone up from 4% in 1999 to 16% in 2003,” said CSE’s co-ordinator for Right to Clean Air Campaign, Anumita Roy Chowdhury. Additionally, the increment in the annual sale of diesel cars is as much as 106%, Chowdhury added.

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 17, 2004, Page No.4

The environment of elections
By Sunita Narain
For the BSP agenda to work politicians will have to change the way India is run. The big issues — captured in the media, in surveys and opinion polls — are water, unemployment and electricity. All three are clearly linked to abysmally poor resource management and governance. Take water. Just about every region, including the high rainfall states of Kerala and Meghalaya, suffers from crippling water shortages. Drought is no longer a temporary natural phenomenon but a permanent mismanaged affair. And it is not only a rural issue. Cities too are badly hit. Water for urban areas is brought in pipelines from further and further away as water distress grows, compounded by pollution. This “appropriation” by cities and industries further hits rural India, where after 55 years of Independence clean water remains a distant dream and dirty water is the biggest child killer.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, April 14, 2004, Page No. 6

The development laboratory
By Sunita Narain
Both governments had promoted decentralisation. Was their defeat a vote against the move for local governments and devolution of power? And, if decentralisation does not bring electoral benefits, will politicians invest in this idea in the future? This is when we know that devolution holds the key to development. We know that bureaucracies cannot plant trees that survive, or build and maintain local water systems, or protect grazing lands from encroachment, or run schools in which teachers come to work.. But for people to participate, they need institutions, they need legal entitlements and they need funds to spend on what they think is their priority.

Business Standard, New Delhi, April 13, 2004

Trucks openly flout SC ruling
Every night, a caravan of 60,000 trucks passes through the city. They are poorly maintained, run on high sulphur diesel and cause air pollution. What's more, these trucks enter the city in contravention to a Supreme Court order which banned any trucks not carrying goods for the city, to pass through. When the Environment Protection Authority's (EPA) Bhure Lal and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) director Sunita Narain conducted an inspection after the SC order, they found that it was being flouted. "The trucks found the alternative route lengthy hence would get across the border by bribing," Bhure Lal said. What is of significance, however, is that these trucks run on diesel five times more polluting than the fuel available in the city.

The Times of India, New Delhi, April 09, 2004, Page No. 2

PIL against JPC report on soft drinks admitted
Nirmal D. Menon
The Bombay High Court today admitted a public interest litigation filed by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) against the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on suitable safety standards for soft drinks. A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justice Mr C.K. Thakker, and Justice Mr S.A. Bobde has ordered both the Maharashtra State and Central Governments to respond to the case by mid- July. The JPC was set up in response to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) findings of pesticide residues in samples of 12 soft drink brands, and the terms of reference assigned to the committee were to examine the CSE findings, and to suggest criteria for evaluating suitable safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverage where water is the main constituent.

Business Line, New Delhi, April 08, 2004, Page No. 5

Production constraints hit Coke
After recording a 20-30% sales rise last year, Coca-Cola India said it expects to maintain the same level in 2004 even as it faced production constraints with regard to its newly-launched vanilla- flavoured Coke. The company said it posted 20-30% growth last year despite the controversy over high-level of pesticides in soft drinks as found by the Centre for Science and Environment lab tests. The company, which has invested $100 million in expanding production capacity during the last two years, would launch the vanilla-flavoured Coke only in the metro cities first as it faced production crunch.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, April 08, 2004, Page No. 15

Dubey panel's clean chit to endosulfan challenged
MS Sunita Narain, Editor of Down to Earth magazine and Director of the Centre for Science and Environment, has said that the Union Government showed "undue haste" in accepting the O.P. Dubey Committee's report that gave a clean chit to endosulfan. The Dubey Committee was formed to study the link between the health problems found in Padre village in Kasargod district and the use of endosulfan in nearby cashew plantations of the Plantation Corporation of Kerala. An investigation by the magazine has found that there was dissent within the committee, with some members opposed to its findings, she added. The eight-member committee headed by Dr O.P. Dubey was set up in 2003 to ascertain whether endosulfan was responsible for the widespread health problems in Padre village.

Business Line, New Delhi, April 07, 2004, Page No. 17

Bhatia Memorial Trust awards presented
The whole world and even you can vouch for the fact from common experience that hard work seldom goes unrewarded, just as is echoed in the famous shloka from the Gita that says, "Do your work, don’t worry about the results - the fruit of your labour will follow." Organisations that work selflessly for society get recognition sometime or the other. This year, the Mussoorie based 'Siri Ram Washeshran Devi Bhatia Memorial Trust' presented its 11th annual awards to three pioneering organisations for their yeoman service to society. This year, the awards of Rs 50'000 each were given to Aarohi Society, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), and an award amounting to Rs 25'000 was given to Ganga Daya Heti Bai School.

Garhwal Post, Dehradun, April 04, 2004, Page No. 7

Impressed, Pak now wants CNG
He dreams of "cleaner air" for the people of Lahore to breath easy. Ask him what he likes about Delhi’s transport system, and Ahmed H. Ghazali, a young lawyer working as a researcher with the Clean Air Commission in Lahore tells you that he was struck by the strips stating CNG on the green autorickshaws indicative of the pride the city takes in having shifted to a cleaner fuel. With a goal to replicate the same pride in Lahore by developing an environment friendly transport system, Ahmed Ghazali is returning loaded with ideas picked up at the International Conference, "The Leapfrog Factor: Towards Clean Air In Asian Cities," organised by the Centre For Science and Environment in the capital. Impressed with India’s initiatives, Ahmed Ghazali would like to see the public transport in Lahore also shift to a cleaner fuel like CNG.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, April 02, 2004, Page No. 9

Delhiites prone to respiratory disorders
By Ambika Pandit
Beware! Vehicular pollution is choking the respiratory tracts of Delhiites and the residents of Kolkata putting them at a greater risk of suffering from diseases like impaired lung function and cancers. A study on respiratory and systemic effects of air pollution being conducted by the Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute in Kolkata shows that a large majority of urban adults and children in Delhi and Kolkata examined had symptoms of underlying respiratory illness. "The physical as well as the mental health of the citizens are at a risk," is how the study summarises the findings. In the capital for the international conference on the "Leap Frog Factor: Towards Clean Air In Asian Cities" that ended on Thursday, Dr Lahiri said that the study was being carried out with the objective to prepare a database on air pollution related respiratory changes among the citizens of two of the most polluted cities in India.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, April 02, 2004, Page No. 9

States drag feet on way to CNG break
By SONU JAIN
Four years is all it will take for the country to get "free and plentiful" CNG as 24 cities get hooked on to the National Gas Grid. Only not many of these cities know about this, struggling as they are with pollution levels in the absence of strict implementation of norms. The Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) is now writing to cities on GAIL’s ‘Operation Blue Sky’. Clean-up programmes will have to be tailored according to these estimates, EPCA authorities say. Most cities are lagging behind in planning and might not be able to incorporate the changes. At a three-day CSE workshop on "The Leapfrog Factor: Towards Clean Air in Asian Cities", most pollution control representatives from other cities showed how poor their planning is when urgent intervention is required to combat air pollution. These cities are nowhere close to what Delhi was seven years ago in their planning.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, April 02, 2004, Page No. 5

Defining poverty and progress
By Sunita Narain
The milestone read Nimalapedu 0. We had travelled through the forest regions of Visakhapatnam district to this tribal village, which we knew had fought the Birlas when the latter were given a lease to mine calcite in their backyard. This was the village whose battle led, in 1997, to a historic Supreme Court judgement that stopped private companies from leasing land in tribal areas to mine or set up a factory.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 30, 2004, Page No. 6

Dams and Water Resources
'Governments must make water available to all'
On the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day this year, consumer activists focussed on the right to water. Inaugurating the international consultation on 'Consumers and Water' to mark the day, Indrani Thuraisingam, council member of Consumers International said governments need to ensure that water is available to all. Rejecting the idea of privatising water supply, Thuraisingam said, "The government should keep with itself the right to regulate supply of water, charging the rich for it and providing subsidy for poor consumers". On the issue of quality of drinking water, Satwant Reddy, additional secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said more consumer rights activists like Sunita Narain should come forward and help the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in setting and regulating standards.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, March 17, 2004, Page No. 2

Environmental Sciences
Blinding with science
By Sunita Narain
Uncertainty can never really be eliminated, even in the best of sound science. Science is the tool, not to bring policy reform, but to delay, prevaricate and to dismiss. And scientists are the hired guns, used by various interests to intimidate with their superiority of knowledge and to disinform with their theories of complexity and uncertainty. In the US, this is a fine art. President George Bush is a staunch believer in “sound science” — from issues concerning climate change, to nuclear waste to arsenic in water. The president makes sure that he is attentive to only what is “empirical” and “peer reviewed” information. It is another matter that this “sound science” is not so sound or that peer review simply means that we will delay taking action on what we already know.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 16, 2004, Page No. 10

Water Water everywhere but...
By Isidore Domnick Mendis
Though lakes, rivers, seas and oceans cover 70% of the earth's surface yet there's an acute shortage of water for human consumption. The United Nations foresees serious water shortages by 2010. 'World Water Day' on March 22 is a grim reminder that water is not limitless and it should be conserved. "I think the water crisis in cities is going to grow to ghastly proportions. If one doesn't do something about it very fast, we are in for real big trouble," opines Sunita Narain, director of the Centre for Science and Environment which recently blew the lid of the bottled water contamination.

The Kashmir Times, Jammu, March 14, 2004, Page 1supp

To reinvent Yusuf Sarai, DDA takes inspiration from Shanghai
By Esha Roy
Aesthetics to combine modern traffic management when project to redevelop 2.8 kilometres of Aurobindo Marg gets approval. Plans have been drawn to decongest Aurobindo Marg which runs in front of the busy Yusuf Sarai market. The wait is now for the DDA’s Planning department to give approval and the Engineering department to implement it. The problems on Aurobindo Marg are complex — haphazardly parked vehicles eating up carriageway space, shops extending to the pavements and the road, unaesthetic planning and no public conveniences. Civic and structural engineering firms have been consulted. TRIPP at IIT Delhi gave traffic inputs while Centre for Science and Environment was consulted for water harvesting.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, March 10, 2004, Page No. 1 supp

SC orders inquiry into diesel adulteration
The Supreme Court has directed the Commissioner of Delhi Police to probe into allegations that the diesel sold at retail outlets of leading petroleum companies in the national Capital territory was adulterated. This order was passed by a Bench comprising Chief Justice V.N. Khare, Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice Arijit Pasayat yesterday as it was not satisfied with the response of the petroleum companies — HP and IOC. Amicus Curiae Harish Salve had brought to court’s notice an article published in the magazine Down To Earth giving photographic evidence of diesel being pilfered from oil tankers and then replensihed with chlorine, kerosene or even dry cleaning agents.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, March 10, 2004, Page No. 4 supp

Environment News
The immortal beast
By Rajesh Sinha
Plastic has become the modern world’s most versatile man- made material. But it’s also its worst environmental nightmare. The use of plastic has been roundly condemned the world over by environmentalists and there is a vigorous campaign to limit its use. It is non-biodegradable, hazardous and drastically toxic. But the NDA government seems to have conveniently ignored these glaring facts. Or, how do you explain the Draft National Policy on Petrochemicals submitted to the cabinet by the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, which aims to "raise its consumption more than three-folds to make India the third largest plastic consumer by 2010?" Sunita Narain of Delhi’s Centre for Science and Environment, says “We should not take any step or push any policy unless we have a proper plastic waste disposal mechanism.”

India Today, New Delhi, March 08, 2004, Page No. 26

Lessons from cola-gate
By Sunita Narain
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was set up to investigate the issue of pesticides in cold drinks, and everyone told us that we had reached a dead end. Parliamentarians aren't interested, we were told. The issues were too technical, too contentious. Cynics added that with elections round the corner, the committee's outcome was predisposed towards big money and powerful corporations. Overall, the consensus was that we had already lost. The report also puts the onus on our government to decide on policy in the interests of all. Most importantly, the report says that a government cannot abdicate its role as the protector of the health of its people. The JPC's indictment of the current system is almost absolute, as is its demand for change. We have learnt. For democracy to succeed, it must be worked at.

The New Indian Express, Bangalore, March 07, 2004, Page No. 18

Liquidating the future
By Sunita Narain
To whom does the water underground belong? Are there limits on what can be extracted? Till three months ago, the answers to such questions were simple: under Indian law, groundwater belongs to the person who owns the land. In other words, the owner of the land is the de facto and de jure owner of the resource underneath. But as the amount of groundwater that can be exploited does not depend on the amount of land owned, in effect, there are no limits to the amount that can be extracted. Exploitation, therefore, depended simply on the money available for drilling deep, electricity to pump and, of course, water available in the aquifers below.

Business Standard, New Delhi, March 02, 2004, Page No. 14

JPC on the right choice
By Anuradha Dutt
Film and sports stars, who have been madly endorsing popular brands of soft drinks, especially colas, owe an apology to consumers in the wake of the tabling of the Joint Parliamentary Committee report in Parliament on February 4. The body, the first JPC to be set up to examine a public health-related issue, substantially confirmed the findings of an independent study, that found health-impairing pesticide residues in the leading cola brands and other soft drinks marketed by transnational companies in India. The investigation showed a deplorable lack of safety standards, drawing attention to the need to remedy the situation immediately in a largely unregulated sector. The study was conducted by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, which had earlier brought to light the high pesticide residues in bottled drinking water, sold by the cola giants as well as smaller Indian companies.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, February 26, 2004, Page No. 7

Vehicular Air Pollution
The Gujarat Government will set up 245 CNG filling stations between Vapi to Vadnagar in next two to three years, said minister of state for energy Saurabh Dalal said. Addressing a seminar organised by Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, the minister said natural gas needs to tapped so that it could be used as vehicular fuel. CNG is a cheap fuel option and the government is removing all hurdles in implementing the Supreme Court ruling by June 1. Chairman of GSPC C K Koshy citing a study conducted by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment for the World Health Organisation said, "The savings on healthcare alone in Delhi is to the tune of Rs 100 crore annually by converting to CNG mode."

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 24, 2004, Page No. 15

Concern over setting up of Coca Cola plant in Ballia
Senior State vice-president of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Chitranjan Singh strongly criticised the Central government for its anti-people and anti-farmer policies and expressed concern over the construction of Coca-Cola bottling plant in Singhachavar in Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. He said that when even the report of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has found that there were pesticides and objectionable substances present in the brand cold drinks, the permission given to the Coca Cola was surprising.

The Pioneer, Lucknow, February 23, 2004, Page No. 3 supp

Indian Parliamentary probe finds pesticide residue in soft drinks
Both Coca-Cola and Pepsi deny their drinks pose any health hazards but an Indian parliamentary probe has said that the soft drinks sold in India by the US beverage giants Coca-Cola and Pepsi contained pesticide residue and urged tougher national health standards. The investigation was ordered after a private New Delhi based environmental group, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), reported in July that 12 of the companies soft drinks had such high pesticide levels they could lead to cancer and other diseases. (Editorial).

The Bangladesh Observer, Dhaka, February 18, 2004

Coke to cut Maaza price and relaunch Sunfill
Coca-Cola India has planned to drop prices of its fruit juice drink Maaza this year, relaunch its powdered soft drink Sunfil as a sugar-free variant and launch a 600-ml PET pack, to drive home consumption. Maaza priced at Rs 10 for a 200-ml tetrapack, at Rs 8 for 300-ml returnable glass bottle, will now be launched in a 125-ml tetrapack priced at Rs 5, 200-ml and 250-ml RGB at Rs 6 and Rs 7 respectively.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 18, 2004, Page No. 8

Pepsi aims to trigger more thirst with new adverts
Pepsi is all set to kick off its ad campaign for 2004 with a brand new tagline - Yeh Pyas Hai Badi. This replaces the Yeh Dil Maange More tagline, which the company had been using for the last five years. The new campaign is built around the insight that today's youth dream and yearn to get more out of life, which, according to Mr Shashi Kalathil, Executive Director (Marketing), Pepsi Foods Ltd, comes close on the heels of the change of the brand's international tagline from `Ask for more' to `Dare for more'. "The Yeh pyas hai badi campaign is all about a bigger thirst to get more out of life. It is about the assertive spirit and confidence to make things happen," he said.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 18, 2004, Page No. 6

Coke watered down in Kerala
By Sonu Jain
The Kerala Cabinet clamped a four-month ban on use of groundwater by the Coca Cola plant at Plachimada in Palakkad district citing severe drought in the area as the reason. The company said it would come out with its response only after it gets the orders. ‘‘The matter is sub-judice...any discriminatory and extreme steps against our plant by the Kerala government would be unwarranted and unjustified as the entire matter is pending before the high court,’’ it said in a press release. The protestors got a fillip with the recent Joint Parliamentary Committee Report that said that these companies should be paying for extraction of groundwater.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 18, 2004, Page No. 4

Vindicated by the JPC
By Sunita Narain
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was set up to investigate the issue of pesticides in soft drinks, and everyone told us that we had reached a dead end. Parliamentarians aren’t interested, we were told. The issues were too technical, too contentious. Cynics added that with elections round the corner, the committee’s outcome was predisposed towards big money and powerful corporations. Overall, the consensus was that we had already lost. This JPC was the fourth to be constituted in post-Independent India. It was the first-ever on public health. The earlier three had deliberated on scams — the Bofors scandal and the two stock market scams of the 1990s.

Business Standard, New Delhi, February 17, 2004, Page No. 6

Pesticide Is Past, Coke To Pump In $70 M
Trying to dust off its pesticide-worn image, Coca-Cola India (CCI) is going ahead full steam with its growth plans for 2004 by injecting fresh investment of $70 million in its operations this year. “We are absolutely aggressive in our plans for 2004. Between us and our bottlers, we will invest about $70 million in our operations this year,” Coca-Cola India’s president and CEO Sanjiv Gupta said.

The financial Express, Delhi, February 17, 2004

Pepsi, Coke slash prices
After the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report confirmed residual of pesticides in cola drinks, Coke India and Pepsi have cut their prices to push sales in the coming summer.

The Times of India, Delhi, February 17, 2004

Coke summer agenda pitches on affordability
By Ratna Bhushan
With the objective of puffing the pesticide issue behind it, Coca- Cola India has outlined a comprehensive growth plan for the forthcoming peak summer season pitched on affordability, driving topline growth and aggressive cost reduction. Mr Sanjiv Gupta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Coca-Cola India told that while topline growth would be driven by continuing with its affordability strategy and driving home consumption, the bottomline focus would be on aggressive cost reduction.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 17, 2004, Page No. 7

Pepsi, Coke slash prices
Pepsico has slashed the price of its 300 ml pack by Rs 2 to Rs 6 and is considering a similar reduction on large packs of one litre and above. Coca-Cola India says it will now offer the 1.5 litre pack at Rs 30 and the 2.25 litre pack at Rs 43. It said its 300 ml pack has been selling at Rs 6 for “some time” now.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 17, 2004, Page No. 1

Messages from cola JPC
By Bharati Chaturvedi
The JPC findings on the presence of pesticides in soft drinks has many underlying messages for us all. For one, it tells us how little we know about what we eat. There is very little transparency and regard for consumer rights and health in India. How else could one explain the fact that the accused companies even began an advertisement campaign mocking at genuine concerns? Although it would have cost only seven paise per litre to remove these pesticides from the drinks, this never happened. The second lesson is related to vilifying citizens' groups. When the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) broke its scary studies, most of the middle class was stunned. Yet, it was not encouraged to address the issue as much as the credibility of the organisation, its sources of funds and so on.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 16, 2004, Page No. 15

Painting A Gainful Picture Of Water Harvesting
It is reminiscent of an idyllic childhood. Collecting rain water. But it is no longer just child’s play. This is today a major environment safeguard to conserve depleting water resources. Serpentine queues at most places with people waiting for a drop to trickle down pipes is a common sight in Mumbai. One of the first corporates in the city, which decided to collect the falling raindrops for reuse, was Asian Paints (I) Ltd way back in May 2002. The plan has proved to be a watershed and the company is hosting a seminar tomorrow in Mumbai on rain water harvesting so that other corporates and government bodies can emulate their success. Sumita Dasgupta, coordinator, National Resource Management Unit, Centre of Science and Environment, New Delhi, says that it is time that corporates took a role in safeguarding the environment. “Corporates consume the largest volume of water.

The Financial Express, Delhi, February 15, 2004

‘Cola companies should follow new EU norms’
The Central Committee on Food Standards (CCFS) recommended that soft-drink manufacturers should follow the new EU norms on packaged drinking water. The norms came into effect from January 1, 2004. It also said that the concerned parties such as the soft drink manufacturers and the Centre for Science and Environment should state their views on the standards in March. The CCFS said that following the JPC recommendations, fruit juices and beverages should not to be notified along with soft-drinks.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 14, 2004, Page No. 5

Panel to set new norms for pesticide limits in soft drinks
By Ratna Bhushan, Nithya Subramanian
The Central Committee on Food Standards (CCFS), which met the Health Ministry to set new standards for food products, has recommended that water used in soft drinks should conform to the same norms as those set for packaged water, Ministry sources said. Upholding the report submitted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), the committee has decided to set new guidelines for the permissible limit of pesticides in soft drinks, the Ministry sources added. "The committee will invite suggestions from the soft drink industry as well as the non- governmental organisations (NGOs) for fixing the pesticide level in beverages," the sources said.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 14, 2004, Page No. 5

‘Water standards for soft drinks’
An expert panel recommended that water used to make soft drinks should conform to standards prescribed for packaged drinking water. The recommendation by the Central Committee of Food Standards, which discussed the Joint Parliamentary Committee report on soft drinks, is likely to be notified soon by the government, ministry sources said.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 14, 2004, Page No. 4

Colas go bottled water way
The health ministry extended the new stringent standards on pesticide residues for bottled water to soft drinks. In doing so, it accepted the recommendations of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) which gave its report earlier this month. It is not clear how soon these norms will be implemented. Chaired by health minister Sushma Swaraj, the central committee of food standards (CCFS) "unanimously recommended that water to be used in manufacturing of carbonated water shall conform to the standards prescribed for packaged drinking water under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules", said a statement.

The Times of India, Delhi, February 14, 2004

Vehicular Air Pollution
We need better cars to check pollution: Experts
By Chetan Chauhan
It's not just automobile fuel, automobiles themselves need to be cleaner if we're to stop Delhi's air from getting progressively more toxic. Environment experts have backed a proposal to fast- track to Euro IV emission norms by supplying cleaner diesel to metropolitan India, but feel it is equally — if not more — important to have vehicles that burn fuel better and have lower evaporative emissions. However, experts feel that with a staggering 350-plus vehicles being added to the Capital's roads every day, ULSD alone may not be able to check pollution. "Euro IV must be adopted sooner than scheduled, and both fuel quality and vehicle technology must be improved," Anmita Roy Chowdhury of CSE said.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 13, 2004, Page No. 5

Groundwater sinking to new depths
Is the ground slipping from under our feet? With India mining its groundwater reserves, red spots are beginning to show on the radar. In fact, warn experts, it could soon be time to ring the alarm bell. Nobody knows the full scale of the problem; it just hasn't been studied systematically. But thirsty Indians are guzzling groundwater reserves — 85 per cent of rural supply and more than 50 per cent of feel-good India's urban and industrial supply is mined. In some areas, too much water has been pumped out. Coke's plant in Plachimada, Kerala, releases between 1.5-3 lakh litres of wastewater a day, says the report of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC). It's depleted groundwater, polluted it, reduced crop yields and led to skin disorders. Pepsi's plant in the same state uses 300 million gallons of water in a year; just 10 per cent is recharged.

The Times of India, Delhi, February 12, 2004, Page No. 11

BIS to hire consultants, gets ready to outsource
Winds of change are blowing through Manak Bhawan, home to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), as it readies to outsource some of its activities. BIS, which sets norms for a host of products, is moving to outsource inspections under the product certification scheme, auditing under management system certification schemes, standards formulation in new emerging areas, sample testing. When the JPC monitoring safety issues for soft drinks and other beverages looked closely at BIS, it found that this organisation had just one lab for testing pesticide residues.

The Times of India, Delhi, February 12, 2004, Page No. 7

Food ministry buys JPC’s view on packed water
The department of consumer affairs, in the food ministry, has concurred with the measures suggested by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for ensuring quality standards for packed drinking water. The department has also endorsed the suggestion that there should be a single authority to deal with an integrated food law. The department was quick to accept the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on pesticides in packaged drinking water and appoint an inquiry committee under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary Satwant Reddy in February last year.

Business Standard, New Delhi, February 12, 2004, Page No. 3

Central Bodies Suggest Water Auditing
As a follow-up to the recent recommendations of the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on carbonated soft drinks about the need for safe drinking water, the Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) have jointly formulated draft guidelines for auditing water in terms of its use and maintenance of its quality. The JPC has recommended that section 2(v) of the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act be amended to include ordinary drinking water as a ‘food item.’ The quality norms formulating body, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already recommended the same standards for ordinary drinking water as is at present being applied for packaged drinking water.

The Financial Expres, February 12, 2004, Page No. 9

Plea for ban on soft drinks
The SC ordered the tagging of cases against soft drinks pending before it. The SC was responding to a petition seeking a ban on the sale of 12 soft drinks which were found to contain a certain percentage of pesticides in them.

The Times of India, Mumbai, February 10, 2004, Page No. 1

Cola ban: SC tags petitions
The Supreme Court has ordered tagging with similar cases pending before the court a petition-seeking ban on the sale of 12 soft drinks, which were found to be containing certain percentages of pesticides in it. The court has suggested to the petitioner to intervene in the matter pending before the court in which the Center eof Science and Environment has raised similar issues.

The Financial Express, February 10, 2004

JPC draft was softer on cola companies
The draft report of the joint parliamentary committee report on pesticides was softer on the cola companies than the final version tabled in Parliament. The Joint Committee on "Pesticide Residues in and Safety Standards for Soft Drinks, Fruit Juice and other Beverages" was set up after a furore following a probe conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment, which said it had found traces of pesticides in 12 soft drink brands. The final report of the parliamentary committee largely confirms the finding, but there are differences between it and an earlier draft.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 08, 2004, Page No. 1

Coke in talks with NeST to hand over Kerala plant operations
Coca-Cola India may have finally found some recourse for its controversy-ridden bottling plant in Kerala. According to industry sources, the soft drink major is in talks with the Rs 500- crore Kerala-based NeST Group to hand over operations of its controversial plant to the latter. Meanwhile, the recently released Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on pesticides in soft drinks has stated that ground water level in many parts of the country was getting depleted, and upheld the Kerala High Court's judgement that water is free only for domestic and agricultural users. The JPC report notes, since ground water belongs to the public its commercial use should be restricted even though there is no law governing the issue.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 08, 2004, page No. 1

Meet on carbonated drinks' safety norms
In the wake of the report submitted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on pesticides in colas, an emergency meeting of the Central Council of Food Standards (CCFS) will take place on February 13 to finalise the draft regulations on safety norms for carbonated drinks. Ms Sushma Swaraj said that the Ministry had earlier put out a draft notification on safety norms for water and beverages. The notification was withdrawn. "Now, we will discuss the same draft for carbonated drinks and finalise the regulations," she said. However, she was unwilling to give any timeframe by when the cola companies would have to comply with the new standards. A separate set of standards would be formulated for fruit juices and other beverages.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 08, 2004, Page No. 1

Uncorking the fizz
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) looking into the pesticides-in-colas controversy has pulled up both the government and cola companies. Upholding the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), it has asked the government to formulat estandards best suited to India’s requirements. It has also dismissed the cola companies’ plea that they cannot be held responsible for failure on the part of their franchisees. (Editorial).

The Economic Times, Delhi, February 07, 2004

Action against cola companies sought
Why are soft drinks available in the markets when they have been banned in the canteen of the Parliament House? Why has no action been taken against the soft drinks companies yet? What does the government intend to do with the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee? The National Akali Dal raised these queries, besides slogans against the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the Vajpayee government at a sit-in held near the Parliament House.

The Tribune, Delhi, February 07, 2004

CSE lists cola JPC's hardest nuts to crack
The Centre for Science and Environment went public with some of the biggest troubles the Cola JPC faced. The biggest of them all, said CSE director Sunita Narain, was to distinguish between standards for soft drink firms and juicewalas. Combining the two was problematic: The JPC opted for separate standards. The second was on final product standards, a grey area. But the JPC brought it under the ambit of Indian regulators.

The Times of India, Delhi, February 07, 2004

Action against cola companies after studying JPC report: CM
Chief Minister A K Antony informed the Assembly that appropriate steps would be taken against the cola companies in the State after studying in detail the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report which confirmed that pesticide residues were found in some batches of Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola sold in the country.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, February 06, 2004, Page No. 4

CSE seeks stringent norms for soft drinks
Leading environmental NGO, Centre for Science and Environment sought framing and enforcing of stringent norms for soft drinks. While welcoming the report of the joint parliamentay committee, which probed pesticide allegations in soft drinks, it said there must be separate standards for different foods and beverages and these must be for the final produce as recommended by the committee. "The JPC has done the best it could by putting the best guidelines forward. We endorse the report and are really excited about it. Standards must be revised and enforced as we cannot afford contamination," CSE’s chief Sunita Narain said here. She said under no circumstances should all the water-based beverages be clubbed under a uniform law.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 06, 2004, Page No. 4

`Soft drink companies must offer non-caffeine option'
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) once again drew attention to the issue of caffeine content in soft drinks sold in India. Mountain Dew, PepsiCo's neon-lime aerated beverage, for example, has been found to contain high caffeine levels. Speaking to newspersons a day after the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) submitted its report, the CSE Director, Ms Sunita Narain, said that while globally caffeine-free variants of soft drinks are available, in India this was not the case. "Even though there is no law dictating that caffeine-free soft drinks be sold in India, the JPC report clearly points out that soft drinks companies should follow best global practices," Ms Narain said.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 06, 2004, Page No. 5

Dams and Water Resources
JPC indicts Plaachimada, Kanjikode cola plants
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has held Coca-Coa and PepsiCo Plants in Palakkad district of Kerala responsible for “causing pollution of water, depletion of ground water and reduction of crop yields besides causing ailments to human beings” and asked the state government to take immediate corrective measures. The JPC submitted its report in Parliament and expressed dismay that the soft drink companies were ignroing the strong sentiments of the local people in Paachimada (Coca-Cola) and Padusseri panchayat in Kanjikode (Pepsico) and environmental issues.

The New Indian Express, Kochi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 5

JPC asks govt how it can be soft on soft drinks sector
While confirming the presence of pesticide residues in aerated water, the JPC report probing the charge is surprised how a Rs 6,000-crore soft drinks industry is allowed to flourish unregulated. The soft drinks industry is exempted from industrial licensing under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 4

JPC final report confirms pesticide residues in colas
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigating pesticide contamination in soft drinks and beverages tabled its final report in Parliament, corroborating the findings of the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) that leading Coca-Cola and Pepsi brands contained hazardous pesticides. The Central Food Laboratory (CFL) at Mysore and Kolkata, which independently analysed the same 12 brands in which CSE had found pesticide residues, detected the presence of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides.

Business Standard, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 3

JPC report confirms pesticides in colas
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on pesticide residue in soft drinks has taken a serious note of the working of the government, particularly the Ministry of Health, which took action only as a result of the findings of an NGO “rather than any systematic approach based on scientific studies”. The JPC on pesticide residues in and safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages, set up in the wake of findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that major soft drinks in the country had pesticide residues, said in its 184-page report that “keeping in view the vital issue of the health of the population of our country, the revision of standards has to be an ongoing process which should draw the serious attention of all ministries concerned, particularly the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare...”

The Tribune, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC nails ‘germ colas’, says they’re unfit for kids
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on soft drinks has said the 12 branded products of Pepsi and Coca-Cola it had examined did contain unacceptable levels of pesticides and recommended that the products carry health warnings for children and pregnant women.

The JPC was formed following studies by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which had claimed that Coca-Cola and Pepsico products had health-endangering levels of pesticides. The committee’s report urged the government to censure the cola majors for publishing misleading and false advertisements immediately after the CSE report was made public.

The Statesman, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC confirms pesticides in colas
By P. Sunderarajan
The Joint Parliamentary Committee looking into the issue of safety standards for soft drinks and other beverages has upheld the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), a Delhi-based non-governmental organisation, about the presence of pesticide residues in soft drink samples and called for setting stringent quality standards for soft drinks. The panel, in its final report tabled in Parliament here today, said: "The committee has found that the CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residues in soft drinks strictly in respect of the 36 samples of 12 brand names analysed by them.

The Hindu, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC puts cola ball in govt court
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on soft drinks recommended that the Centre frames its own science-based food standards, in keeping with internationally-acceptable norms, to protect public health. Consumers have been paying for the end product, so why are cola firms insistent on setting norms just for ingredients? The ball is now in the court of the government," said JPC member Sanjay Nirupam.

The Times of India, New Delhi, February 05, 2004

Set Norms As Per Indian Conditions: JPC Report
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on soft drinks, which was presented in Parliament on Wednesday has rejected adoption of European Union (EU) norms and has instead suggested ‘setting up of standards which are best suited for the Indian conditions in the overall perspective of public health.’ The report reasons that the EU norms were not based on any toxicological criteria or any realistic basis, but were a surrogate for zero. “Moreover these norms are often used as non-tariff barriers by the European countries against the developing nations, to protect their agriculture, trade and industry,” the report notes.

The financial Express, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 10

JPC report upholds CSE findings
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report on pesticide residues and safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages, was tabled in Parliament. While upholding the Centre for Science & Environment (CSE)'s claims of pesticide residue in soft drinks, the JPC report has called for India-specific food standards. The report has divided its recommendations into two components — qualitative (detection and identification) and quantitative (estimation and confirmation). On the qualitative aspect, the committee is of the view that the CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residue in carbonated water in respect of the three samples each of the 12 brands of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola. The CSE tested 36 samples for 32 commonly used pesticides in India.

Business Line, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC condemns misinformation
The Joint Parliamentary Committee has come out with number of suggestions for the government regarding safety standards for drinking water and food products, use\misuse of pesticides and "misinformation" campaign of the soft drink companies. In its report, the JPC said that the health ministry should have used provisions of law to stop carbonated soft drink companies from spreading "misinformation." It said, "It is the responsibility of the ministry of health to ensure that no misinformation is spread by any company with regard to their products. The ministry of health and family welfare should have invoked the relevant provisions of the PFA Act in this regard."

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 3

CSE delighted by JPC report
Welcoming the Joint Parliamentary Committee’s findings on soft drinks, Centre of Science and Environment director, Ms Sunita Narain, labelled the committee’s report as a manifesto on public health and safety norms. The committee in its report titled "Pesticide residues in and safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juices and other beverages," states that it is of the view that the CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residues in carbonated water in respect of three samples each of 12 brand products of Pepsico and Coca-Cola analysed by them. Pointing that the JPC findings had vindicated their report, CSE director Ms Narain said, "We are delighted. The JPC’s findings show that the soft drink companies were wrong when they had claimed that their soft drinks were safe and tried to dismiss CSE’s report as misleading."

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 3

Pesticides in soft drinks: JPC upholds CSE report
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on soft drinks has upheld the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment that 12 branded products of Pepsi and Coca-Cola it examined did contain pesticide residues and asked the government to formulate stringent quality norms for carbonated drinks. "The committee are of the view that the CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residues in carbonated water in respect of three samples each of 12 brand products of Pepsico and Coca-Cola analysed by them," said the JPC report titled "Pesticide residues in and safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juices and other beverages." The report of the JPC, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, further said: "The committee has appreciated the whistle-blowing act of CSE in alerting the nation to an issue with major implications to food safety, policy formulation, regulatory framework and human and environmental health."

The Asian Age, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

Hard rules haunt soft drinks
Despite the Joint Parliamentary Committee saying that CSE findings on the presence of pesticides in carbonated beverages is correct and that the country needs to set up ‘‘stringent’’ standards, Coke India and PepsiCo today reiterated their products in India were ‘‘safe’’ and meet international quality norms. ‘‘Our products manufactured in India are world-class and safe. We follow one quality system across the world,’’ Coke said in a statement. ‘‘We have always produced beverages in India that are absolutely safe and made according to the same high quality standards we use around the world,’’ said Pepsi. ‘‘The committee is of the view that CSE findings are correct on the presence of pesticide residues in carbonated water in respect of three samples each of 12 branded products of Pepsico and Coca-Cola analysed by them,’’ said the JPC report. The report added that CFL-CFTRI of Mysore and CFL Kolkata analysed samples of the 12 brands and both detected the presence of organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residue. However, on the quantitative aspect, the results of CSE and those of these two labs vary.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 3

CSE got it right, colas have pesticides: JPC
This is likely to can the fizz in the softdrinks business. The joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on Wednesday upheld the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that 12 soft-drink brands, including Pepsi and Coke, it analysed contained traces of pesticides. The committee, headed by Sharad Pawar, noted: “We appreciate the whistle blowing act of the CSE in alerting the nation to an issue with major implications for food safety, policy formulation, regulatory framework and human and environmental health.” The report said government food testing labs in Kolkata and Mysore “detected the presence of organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues”.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, February 05, 2004, Page No. 1

Messages, nuances and globalisation
By Sunita Narain
The World Social Forum (WSF) concluded in Mumbai. Next began the World Economic Forum in Davos. But even as an intensely stimulating energy of dissent swelled at the WSF, I kept feeling the ground slipping from under our feet. Why do I say this when it is clear that the WSF message — the need for a fair and just world — is gaining ground? Because the message is in danger of being lost in pedantic, ideological and, allow me to say, simplistic prose. The terminology of the so-called anti-globalisation group is becoming its biggest problem.

Business Standard, February 03, 2004, Page No. 10

JPC Raps Govt Notification On Pesticides Limit
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in its soon-to-be released report has blamed the ministry of health and family welfare for acting in haste and causing panic amongst the public by issuing the draft notification for revision of pesticides limit in beverages. It has also questioned the ministry for not involving the Central Committee on Food Standards (CCFS), a statutory committee, for laying down the standards for food items.

The financial Express, New Delhi, January 31, 2004

JPC report critical of franchisee bottling issue
By Ratna Bhushan
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report that will reveal the details of the probe into the allegedly high levels of pesticides in soft drinks has highlighted the sensitive issue regarding franchisee-bottling operations of soft drink companies. The report is expected to be tabled in Parliament on February 4. According to sources, the JPC report mentions that PepsiCo has not signed stipulated agreements with the Standard International Bottlers Agreement (SIBA), and has stated that the franchisee bottlers are liable for their business and that PepsiCo has no responsibility in respect thereof. It has been learnt that the report
also states that even though franchisee bottlers are requested to adhere to quality control specifications and other standards of the parent company, they have no legal liability over their action and inaction.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 31, 2004, Page No. 5

Cola row: JPC pulls up health ministry
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing allegations of high levels of pesticide residue in soft drinks has pulled up the Union ministry of health for its failure to take action against cola companies that claimed their products were pesticide free. Expressing concern over the issue, the panel observed that the advertisements by cola companies declaring their products pesticide-free were in clear violation of the Food and Adulteration Act. The JPC, headed by Mr Sharad Pawar, will submit a 300-page report to Parliament on February 5. Those who made presentations before the JPC included representatives of the ministry of health, the Central Ground Water Board, the Ground Water Authority, the secretary of water resources, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), besides Coca-Cola and Pepsico.

Deccan Herald, Bangalore, January 30, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC may propose strict norms for cola companies
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on pesticides in soft drinks has recommended stringent norms for manufactures. The JPC, headed by NCP leader Sharad Pawar, is likely to table its report in Parliament on February 5. The JPC, sources said, has criticised cola manufacturers for having misled the nation by wrongly claiming through advertisements that their products were safe and pesticide-free. In its report, the panel has suggested the government should set such norms not only for the finished product but also for the water used in the manufacture of soft drinks. The companies have reportedly been advised to follow the same formulae for manufacturing their drinks in India as is done globally.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 30, 2004, Page No. 5

JPC Blames It All On Water, Proposes Stringent Norms; CSE Pulled Up Too
By PUMMY KAUL
In its final report which is expected to be tabled in Parliament on February 4, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has recommended adoption of highest norms for the ‘water’ that is used in making of carbonated soft drinks and not the ‘finished product’. As per the final recommendations of the report, a copy of which is with FE, ‘the water used in manufacturing the soft drinks should be in conformity with the new norms which have already been notified under notification No GSR 554 (E) dated July 18, 2003. Meanwhile, the committee in its yet to be tabled report, is believed to have questioned CSE for not giving a sample of the results to the government before making them public, informed health ministry sources say. More importantly, the quantum of ‘pesticides’ found in soft drinks as per CSE’s report has also been questioned by the JPC report, a top official in the health ministry said.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 30, 2004, Page No. 15

House panel may suggest norms for carbonated water
There was no official word but it appears the JPC looking at safety standards criteria for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages may recommend setting norms for carbonated water as soon as possible. The final position will be known only when the report is made public.

The Times of India, New Delhi, January 29, 2004, Page No. 9

Final JPC report may suggest fresh norms for soft drinks
By Ratna Bhushan
The much-awaited panel of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), probing allegedly the high levels of pesticide content in soft drinks, finally seems to have arrived at a decision. While the final report of the JPC is expected to be submitted on February 4 in Parliament, according to highly-placed sources in the panel, the report has suggested to the Government a set of fresh norms for soft drinks as finished products. Interestingly, norms have conventionally been set for water as an ingredient in soft drinks, and not for finished products. "The JPC report has also appreciated the Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) for its efforts as a whistle blower on the pesticide issue," the JPC panel sources told Business Line.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 29, 2004, Page No. 4

No consensus on CSE cola report
By Yoga Rangatia
The joint Parliamentary Committee, looking into the Cola controversy, is divided over whether it should accept the report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), an NGO, "in toto". The final report is also unlikely to recommend European Union norms for soft drinks and beverages, sources said. A draft of the final report did the rounds on Tuesday, but the members did not reach a consensus on the wording related to accepting the CSE report claiming the presence of a high quantity of pesticides in softdrinks. "Qualitatively, there is no dispute that softdrinks contained pesticides. The members appreciated that the issue was brought to the forefront by the NGO report. But the levels of pesticides in the CSE report has not been corroborated by any other tests. There is a feeling that the high quantity of pesticides mentioned in the CSE report could not be corroborated by other tests. The media hype was unnecessary," a member said.

The Pioneer, New Delhi, January 29, 2004, Page No. 4

Backing CSE, JPC strongly indicts cola companies, tells Govt set norms fast
By Sonu Jain
The Joint Parliamentary Committee(JPC) looking into the issue of pesticides in colas has upheld the findings of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that colas contained dangerous levels of pesticides and has asked the Government to set norms "at the earliest" for "finished cola drinks," and not just the water they use. The 300-page report, scheduled to be tabled in both Houses of Parliament on February 4, was prepared by the panel headed by Sharad Pawar and comprising 15 MPs from all major political parties. Over five months, the panel heard, besides the CSE, PepsiCo, Cola India, trade representatives and all government bodies connected with water and food safety. Sources said the final draft came after strong debate within the group. "The JPC is fully committed to public health and this report expresses this concern," said Sanjay Nirupam, Shiv Sena leader and one of the members of JPC.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 29, 2004, Page No. 1

JPC finds substance in CSE charges
GIRISH KUBER & CHAITALI CHAKRAVARTY
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has directed the Health Ministry to formulate “Indian standards” for aerated soft-drinks as well as for other food products. It has also asked for such norms to be put in place for every constituent of a soft drink, including water, sugar and the concentrate. The JPC is also understood to have found substance in the allegation that pesticide residues were present in soft drinks manufactured by Pepsi and Coca-Cola . The committee was entrusted with a two-point terms of reference. It was asked to report "whether the recent findings of the Centre for Science and Environment regarding pesticide residues in soft drinks are correct or not, and to suggest criteria for evolving suitable safety standards for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages where water is the main constituent".

The Economic Times, New Delhi, January 29, 2004, Page No. 1

Cola JPC To Table Report On February 4
The joint parliamentary committee (JPC) headed by Mr Sharad Pawar which is probing the high levels of pesticide content in soft drinks is expected to table its final report in Parliament on February 4, a member of the panel said. The panel at a day-long meet on Tuesday, is believed to have incorporated some recommendations and changes in the draft report leading to the delay in the finalisation of the report by a day. “We had expected to finalise the report on Tuesday but some changes had to be made,” a source of the JPC said.

The financial Express, January 28, 2004

Colas: Govt flip flops, flips
By SONU JAIN
Should European Union standards of purity be applied to just carbonated drinks (read colas) or all beverages, including fruit juices? Don’t ask the Government, it can’t make up its mind. For cola companies, a suitable answer is all beverages since that effectively lets them off the hook arguing that nowhere in the world are EU-type strict standards applied to finished products like juices and anyways, juices depend on fruits and pulp over which they don’t have control. As per EU standards, only .0001 mg per litre of a single pesticide residue is allowed for packaged drinking water and a total of .0005 mg per litre for multiple residues. When in August, the Centre for Science and Environment study showed colas to have pesticide residue 11-30 times EU standards, the Government issued a notification that EU standards should be enforced for all beverages, including colas, juices, tea and coffee.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 25, 2004, Page No. 4

How will you rein in jams, vehicles: court asks govt
Taking Delhi government to task for not preparing a blueprint to ensure that the Capital’s air remains pollution free, the Supreme Court asked the government to detail a strategy to control the number of vehicles and traffic congestions. The apex court, which was hearing a PILK on air pollution, took the Centre for Science and Environment’s statement of concern as interim application. The application pointed out that despite enormous effort and substantial gains following the Supreme Court’s initiative to combat air pollution, the city’s air remains polluted.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 24, 2004, Page 3supp

More diesel cars sold despite threat of cancer
Despite mounting new evidence damning diesel fumes as harbingers of cancer and other deadly ailments, Delhi has registered an alarming 106 per cent annual incremental increase in registration of diesel cars since 1998-99 as against 12 per cent for petrol cars, the Centre for Science and Environment said here today. Pointing out that the enticing gap in the price of diesel and petrol was a key factor in this distortion, the Centre blamed the Government for not doing anything to plug the difference even as Delhi despite having the highest per capita income among all the Metros has the lowest diesel price. The CSE said the tilt towards diesel can also be gauged from the fact that while in 1999, the share of diesel cars was a mere 4 per cent of the new registrations, the figure had jumped to 6 per cent in 2003 and if the jeeps or sports utility vehicles (SUVs) were also considered, it showed a growth rate of 18 per cent.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 23, 2004, Page No. 4

‘Wastage main reason for DJB’s poor show’
The poor water management by the Delhi Jal Board is due to wastage of large quantities of potable water by giant commercial consumers, said the Centre for Science and Environment that has come out with an analysis of the water tariff structure in Delhi. CSE director Sunita Narain said that 75 per cent of the water connections are unmetered and that better management of water is a must to check wastage. The unmetered connections make it impossible to even assess the quantity of water illegally consumed by different sections of consumers. As per the CSE report, the DJB spends Rs 7.58 for treating 1 kilolitre (kl) of water and if one adds the cost of treating sewage the figure rises to Rs 8.50 per kilolitre.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 21, 2004, Page No. 2

Rain water harvesting gets another deadline
By Bindu Shajan Perappadan
They might have "Preserve ground water to serve humanity'' as their slogan but their notifications often prove to be very liberal. For the fifth time in two years, the deadline for installing rainwater-harvesting systems in existing buildings across the Capital has been extended to June 30, 2004, by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). "The effectiveness of the monitoring system within the CGWA has raised serious questions about the use of such rules. There are rules, including the one that states that all buildings that discharge more than 10,000 litres of water should put in place a water re-use system. "These rules have been forgotten," explains the co-ordinator of the Natural Resource Management Unit of the Centre For Science and Environment (CSE), Sumita Dasgupta.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 21, 2004, Page No. 3

'Water tariff in Delhi a must'
Water tariff revision is a must in Delhi, but rationalisation of the slabs should come first, the Centre for Science and Environment said. In a press statement the CSE said, "with elections round the corner politicians may shy away from tackling this sensitive issue. But it cannot remain on the back burner for long. We believe there is an urgent need to revise the existing tariff structure to ensure better demand management."

The Statesman, New Delhi, January 21, 2004, Page No. 2

Modern gods are failing
by Sunita Narain
I attended a jan sunwai (peoples’ court) on the issue of water, convened by the National Federation of Indian Women. Women came from over 15 states to report on the state of water in their region. There was distress in their voices and in what they recounted. Water was scarce, and increasingly polluted. Many wells had fluoride. Many had dried up. The government had promised to build pipelines and tanks. But if they were built, they turned dry. Otherwise, the plans just remained on paper. Women suffered. They walked long distances for water, to draw from wells and handpumps that were not theirs.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 20, 2004, Page No. 8

Devil’s engine
Anumita Roychowdhury
The news. Nasa scientists in their recent release have confirmed that black carbon soot is causing as much as a quarter of all observed global warming. Soot warms up the air by absorbing sunlight and radiating the heat to the air. Nasa branded soot as “all-round bad actor” now understood to be twice as potent as carbon dioxide in changing global surface air temperatures in the Arctic and Northern Hemisphere. Not many noticed in the intense debate that followed how this emerging science has implicated diesel especially after the mounting evidence of its lethal health impacts. Role of diesel soot had come to sharper focus in 2001 when the young scientist, Mark Z Jacobson from Stanford University looked into this issue. He said diesel vehicles emit about 18 per cent more carbon per gallon than do petrol vehicles. He predicted that there would be greater global warming with diesel than with petrol over the next 100 to 150 years.

The Statesman, New Delhi, January 19, 2004, Page No. 7

MPs want to summon Sushma before JPC on pesticola
By Amita Shah
The JPC had advanced its meetings scheduled for January 15 and 16 to January 13 and 14. Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola as well as the Centre for Science and Environment, which had stirred the hornet’s nest by announcing that its tests showed 12 colas contained pesticide residues 11 to 70 times higher than EUnorms, deposed before the committee on January 13. The CSE’s announcement in August about its findings raked up safety standards issue that went beyond colas, though the CSE acknowledged that the colas adhered to Indian norms. It argued that the multinationals practised double standards, selling less clean cola in India than in the EU and US.

The Economic Times, New Delhi, January 17, 2004, Page No. 2

Cola JPC report by Jan-end
Racing against time to complete its job before the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) looking at safety standards criteria for soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages expects to be ready with its report by January-end. The date for adoption now seems to be January 27. Confronted with the certainty of early polls, the 15-member JPC chaired by Sharad Pawar has abandoned plans to visit laboratories and states or hear individuals and more experts. JPC meeting saw some heated moments when activists from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) — the Delhi-based NGO which sparked a controversy with findings on pesticide residues in soft drinks from the Coke and Pepsi stables — were being asked questions. Some MPs are learnt to have ticked off others for not permitting CSE to respond.

The Times of India, New Delhi, January 15, 2004

JPC report on cola muddle before Jan 27
The joint Parliamentary committee (JPC), probing the alleged high levels of pesticide content in soft drinks, will finalise its report between January 24 and 27, JPC member Sanjay Nirupam said. The fresh dates were decided on Wednesday (14th Jan) after the conclusion of two days of meetings with the representatives of soft drink majors Coca-Cola India, PepsiCo India, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and health ministry.

The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 15, 2004, Page No. 12

JPC Injects Caffeine Spin
The muddle in the soft drinks industry currently being probed by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) has a new “caffeine twist”. With this the focus is set to shift from pesticide content in soft drinks to their ingredients per se. The new bone of contention in the cola controversy is the crucial and existing caffeine standard for soft drinks in the country. Members of Parliament (MPs) belonging to the JPC have asked the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to research the issue.

The Financial Express, Delhi, January 14, 2004, Page No. 14

Pesticides eat into Delhi
Delhi could well be sitting on a ticking toxic timebomb. And, soft drinks might just be the tip of the iceberg. Every bite you take, every move you make, pesticides might be attacking you. According to a study conducted recently by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), for instance, Indians eat 111 grams of fruit every day, of which 42 per cent is nothing but pesticides!

After bottled water and colas, the CSE has now begun to target the food that we eat, and the results of the analysis provide enough reason for alarm.

The Times of India, Delhi, January 14, 2004, Page No. 1(s)

JPC report on safety norms for beverages soon
THE Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) set up to look into the issue of pesticides in beverages is expected to finalise its report after a meeting with officials at the Health Ministry. This meeting is expected to be crucial as a final decision will be taken after consultations with the Health Ministry. The JPC sat through a final round of presentations from cola majors Pepsi and Coke, and the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). It is expected to meet some of these parties tomorrow as well. While the beverage companies felt that there was really no need for legislation, sources said that the CSE reiterated its demand for segregating the different product categories such as juices, carbonated drinks etc to ensure tighter quality standards.

Business Line, New Delhi, January 14, 2004, Page No. 5

BIS clamps down on bottled water plants; cos contest charge
Even as it is well past the January 1 deadline for packaged water companies to comply with the new norms laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for drinking water, the last word on the issue has obviously not been said. For, while the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has clamped down on production of some bottled water plants, including those of prominent brands such as Bisleri, Coca-Cola's Kinley and Kingfisher on account of the manufacturers of bottled water either failing to submit test reports on revised pesticide norms or unsatisfactory performance, the companies involved are claiming otherwise. Mr Ramesh Chauhan of Parle Bisleri said, "All our test reports have been sent to the BIS, well before the January 1, deadline. And production at all our plants is on."

Business Line, New Delhi, January 12, 2004, Page 3

JPC Report Soon On Pesticide Content In Soft Drinks
The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the alleged high levels of pesticide content in soft drinks is likely to table its report sooner than expected in the wake of possible early general elections. ‘‘In case Parliament is dissolved, the JPC may table the report soon,” Sanjay Nirupam, MP and a JPC member said.
In fact, the upcoming hearing of Coca-Cola India, PepsiCo India and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on January 13, followed by that of the health ministry on January 14, could be their last hearing before the committee, sources in the industry indicate.

Source : The Financial Express, New Delhi, January 12, 2004, Page No. 3

Laxity in fixing safety norms for food articles
After raising a furore over the presence of pesticides in soft drinks, the Centre for Science and Environment has come now out with a report alleging laxity in fixing pesticides safety standards for other food articles also. The report said that the calculations conducted by the Centre had revealed pesticides residues in food articles exceeding the safety limits by 100 to 6,000 per cent in different cases. This was mainly because the regulation on pesticide residues in the country was not based on the concept of acceptable daily intake (ADI), the most rational method.

The Hindu, New Delhi, January 10, 2004, Page No. 12

Big brands fail to meet BIS norms
The new, stringent bottled norms in force since January 1 have claimed the scalps of over 200 units, including those manufacturing well-known brands. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), implementing the standards on pesticide residues in bottled water, says 158 units have been asked not to put the certifying ISI mark on products because they have not given test reports on pesticide residues.

The Times of India, Delhi, January 10, 2004

Bottled water brands under a cloud
The Government has disallowed production by over 200 bottled water plants, including those of popular brands like Bisleri, Kingfisher and Coca Cola's Kinley, due to violation of revised pesticide norms or unsatisfactory performance. "Around 213 units which have either not submitted test report conforming to
the new norms, or are performing below the laid-down quality standards have been issued 'stop-marking' order and can therefore not manufacture bottled water," BIS sources said.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 10, 2004, Page 17

Centre tells 200 bottled water plants to stop work
The Centre has asked over 200 bottled water plants, including those of popular brands like Bisleri and Coca Cola’s Kinley, to stop production for either violating the revised pesticide norms or on grounds of unsatisfactory performance. “Around 213 units, which have either not submitted test reports conforming to the new norms or are performing below the laid down quality standards, have been issued ‘stop-marking’ order and can therefore not manufacture bottled water,” official at the Bureau of Indian Standards said.

The Asian Age, New Delhi, January 10, 2004, Page 11

Pesticides and Hazardous Products
Govt removes a bottleneck, colas may taste thunder
By Sonu Jain
In A knee-jerk reaction to the uproar over the high pesticide content in colas, the Government had come out with a draft notification setting European Union standards for drinking water for all beverages, including carbonated drinks, fruit juices and tea and coffee. Now, as an after-thought, the Ministry of Health wants to have EU standards for only carbonated drinks, and exclude all other products including fruit and vegetable juices. The cola companies which were pitted against consumer groups, the Centre for Science and Environment, Sugar Development Institute and the PFA are not pleased. They have been arguing there is no way they could implement the new norms when products containing fruits/vegetable juices or beverages like tea/coffee have a higher level of pesticide content. A final decision on the matter will be taken by the Joint Parliamentary Committee headed by Sharad Pawar, who has been sent a copy of the revised recommendations by the Ministry of Health.

The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 09, 2004, Page No. 1

Water level falls by 10 m
Surveys conducted by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) suggest the ground water level has gone down by as much as 10 metres over the past year in some south Delhi areas. The lowest level of water was noticed in Lado Sarai. The alarming depletion in the ground water level across the city is also being linked to the large number of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tube-wells. Sumita Dasgupta, coordinator, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, "Ground water is rapidly depleting as surface water for its contamination and low availability, is proving unreliable to fulfil the increasing needs of the city."

Times of India, Delhi, January 08, 2004, Page No. 5

No environment minister yet, activists see red
For a fortnight, the country has been without an environment minister — and nobody seems to care. Since the DMK’s Baalu resigned from his ministership in December, the cabinet-rank position has remained vacant. Amid speculation on an early election and dissolution of the Lok Sabha later this month, nobody has even been given additional charge. Says Sunita Narain, head of the Delhi-based NGO Centre for Science and Environment, "If the finance minister was missing, action would have been taken to replace him. Environment is clearly not in the list of priorities for a government which doesn’t realise that ecological security will be as important as financial security in the years to come."

Times of India, Delhi, January 07, 2004

No progress on packaged water norms
The sixth and final meeting of the Drinks and carbonated Beverages Sectional Committee of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is looking into the quality standards for soft drinks and beverages, ended with virtually no consensus between the bottled water and soft drinks industry and consumer action groups. The two consumer action groups present on the committee-Centre for Science and Environment and the Chennai based CONCERT-were of the opinion that widening the list would weaken the enforcement of the standards.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 07, 2004, Page No. 3

The arithmetic of interdependence
By Sunita Narain
Our world did change in 2003. The US war on Iraq made sure that the rules of “engagement” were changed, perhaps for a long time to come. The most visible change I see is that the world has become overtly aggressive and rude. And it is not just the US. Let us be clear that the stamp of “aggressor” politics where terms are set with singularly determined self-interest built on raw power (money or caste), has left a visible emboss in our part of the world as well. It is certain that the boundary between right and wrong, just and unjust is getting blurred and re-engineered.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 06, 2004, Page No. 6

POISONED PLANET
By YP Gupta
Today, the air is dangerously polluted with some poison, thereby posing a serious challenge to our survival. In its annual report for 2001-02, the Central Pollution Control Board has reported that the situation on air pollution in the four metropolitan cities and also in Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Hyderabad is alarming. The situation in 21 other cities is worse. It is reported that the critical levels of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) have been causing extreme pollution in these cities. The Centre for Science and Environment has projected that the percentage change in the levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, benzene and particulate matter in the Delhi’s atmosphere would vary between 42 and 51 per cent by 2015.

The Statesman, New Delhi, January 06, 2004, Page No. 8

Diesel vehicle owners distort PUC checks
It is a proven fact that diesel vehicles pollute most as compared to vehicles running on other fuels. However, only 20 percent of the vehicles booked by the enforcement officials in the ongoing campaign for possessing invalid pollution under control (PUC) certificates are diesel vehicles. ‘During the test, most drivers do not press the accelerator comletely so that less smoke makes the reading show less pollutants’, said Anumita Roychowdhary, associate director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

Times of India, Delhi, January 05, 2004

Vote-on-account likely on Jan 22
A vote-on-account during a two-day session on January 21 and 22 seems inevitable as the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on pesticide standards has been asked to wind up its investigations and submit its report by January 20 at the very latest. A member of the JPC on pesticide levels in beverages and bottled water said JPC Chairman Sharad Pawar had, barely two weeks ago, sought an extension of the JPC’s tenure to enable it to complete its research. Members were to have gone on tour from January 4 to take a look at laboratories and beverage plants all over India to acquaint themselves with the technical aspects of the study.

Business Standard, New Delhi, January 05, 2004, Page No. 4

SPM levels low this December: CPCB study
Delhi is breathing cleaner air this winter. A comparison between the data on the ambient air quality in December, 2002 and 2003, shows a considerable dip in the level of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the air this year. According to a study that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) conducted between December 1-24 this year at the ITO intersection, the highest SPM level was recorded at 400 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Anumita Roychowdhury, associate director, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said: "It’s good news that the SPM levels have shown such an appreciable dip. There is, however, a long way to go before Delhi air can be called clean in the right sense."

Times Of India, Delhi, January 02, 2004, Page No. 4

Pesticides and Hazardous Products
New norms for bottled water from today
The government said it was fully prepared to implement new standards on pesticide residues in bottled drinking water from tomorrow and the companies concerned would have to meet these norms to stay in business. “The standards have been upgraded and we are ready to implement the new norms. Just as the existing standards the new ones will also be strictly implemented”, Consumer Affairs Minister Sharad Yadav told. The Bureau of Indian Standards would be the nodal agency for implementing the standards.

The Tribune, New Delhi, January 01, 2004, Page No. 2

Vehicular Air Pollution
Prepare for car pollution checks
New year's eve saw people line up at petrol pumps to get pollution under check (PUC) stickers for their vehicles. The transport department has threatened to begin its PUC checking drive from January 1. But the three-month validity of a sticker angered motorists. However, Sunita Narain of the Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) called for an entire revamp of the system. "These norms were set way back in 1981. The Delhi government should not wait for the Centre to impose stricter norms and should have new ones," she said.

The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, January 01, 2004, Page No. 3

New bottled water norms?
Good news for consumers. The government seems prepared to implement new stringent bottled water norms from January 1. The position is not absolutely clear, but it appears Delhi bottled water units may get leeway owing to a court order which says they should not be pressurised if they don’t meet the deadline on the new norms. The norms framed by the health ministry after an NGO expose on pesticide residues in bottled water last February, stipulate that total pesticide residue in bottled water should not be more than 0.0005 mg/litre.

The Times of India, Delhi, January 01, 2004

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