Kerala imposes total ban on Cola

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11 (UNI) Kerala became the first state in the country to impose a total ban on the production and sales of Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola.

The order was issued this evening forcing the traders to withdraw millions of bottles of the soft drinks from the shelves.

The Left Democratic Front Government took the decision in the larger interest of public health in the wake of recent reports of a Delhi based NGO's report that the soft drinks contained high levels of pesticide residues.

However, there was no immediate ban on the other products of the two multi-national companies which were facing a prolonged agitation inn the state over the alleged overexploitation and contamination of drinking water.

State Health Minister P K Sreemathy said regional health and food authorities and the health inspectors had been instructed to strictly implement the ban.

She said the soft drinks had been banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act of 1954.

The State Cabinet took a decision on August 9 on the basis of a recommendation to this effect by the state committee of the ruling LDF.

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