The Jal Adhikar (Right to Water) Yatra that makes its way through communities in UP, MP and Rajasthan that are demanding respite from privatization of water, its indiscriminate overuse by for profit agencies and falling of water tables.

Experts have stated that if there is a third world water, then it would happen over water. There is an emerging water crisis in the whole world and the multinational companies are using this opportunity to bring the water resources with in their control so that they can commoditize water and sell it for profit. Water industry is currently worth 80 billion dollars and is expected to reach a potential trade worth trillion dollars globally. Pepsi and Coca-Cola from US are two of  the prominent multinational corporations engaging in water privatization.

This multibillion dollar opportunity conceals a darker picture. Extraction of water and especially exploitation of ground water by these companies for their profit is leaving regions dry. In Plachimada of Kerala, the local Coca-Cola plant has resulted in the drying of the regions with in 3km radius of the plant where wells and handpumps have gone dry and women are forced to walk far for getting drinking water. In response to these issues, the state government has been forced to close the local Coca-Cola plant.

In Mehndiganj of U.P near Varanasi , the Coca-Cola plant has continued to extract 15 to 25 lakh liters of water everyday which is causing water crisis in the region. 25% of the wells and 11% of the hand pumps have already gone dry since Coca-Cola came and the water level has gone down between 20 to 40 feet in the villages around the plant.

The plant has dumped its sludge and effluents in the neighboring plants which has resulted in pollution of water and decrease of productivity of land. Tests by Central Pollution Control Board have revealed that these sludge contain toxic heavy metals lead, cadmium and chromium beyond the permissible limit which can cause cancer and mental retardation especially among children. The plant has also encroached common land that belongs to the Mehndiganj village panchayat.

In a report by Centre for Science and Environment (C.S.E), the cola drinks contain 4 to 6 pesticides several times higher than the European Union Limit which are dangerous to humans.

The women, men and youth of Mehndiganj and surrounding villages have waged a struggle against Coca-Cola and have demanded that Coca-Cola’s license be cancelled over its violations of rights of village residents. Our laws say that water is a right of all citizens and yet our state is allowing these companies to make profit out of our right and depriving the public of our right.

We appeal to the general public that they demand the government to stop companies such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi to stop exploitation and sale of water for profit. After the C.S.E report, the state governments have already stopped sale of Coke and Pepsi in schools, hospitals and government offices. The Kerala government has banned the sale and production of Coke and Pepsi all over the state. With the demand that this be extended through out India , a Jal Adhikar Yatra is initiated between Mehndiganj and Delhi from 10^th September 2006 to 5^th October 2006 . The march will go through several Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottling plants in U.P and Kaladera, Rajasthan. On 3^rd October to 5^th October, protests will be organized in front of parliament and Coca-Cola headquarters. We appeal to you to support us and join us in this march for our rights.