Here are a few snaps taken during my recent visit to the state of the art lab of the independent environment group, the Center for Science and Environment, CSE at the Habitat Center in New Delhi.
It is scientsist at this ISO cerified lab who told the world about the dangerously high levels of pesticides in fizzy drinks sold in India.
The powerful Cola companies have rejected this and have come out with their own studies to counter CSE's claim. Even the Health minister Ambumani Ramadoss told parliament that the evidence given by CSE is flimsy.
The bottled Fizzy dring market in India is worth more than a billion and a half dollars. That is more than 6000 Crore Indian Rupees.
But the firebrand Sunita Narain, director, CSE and her team have stuck to their guns. She says the minister is under a lot of "pressure".
" The government is under pressure, the minister is very clearly under pressure. I do not understand why the government gave a clean chit to the Cola companies without even consulting us...without even waiting for the final report of it's owm committee. All samples have been scientifically collected by us and tested at this ISO certified lab."
Needless to say Ramadoss has threatened to Sue Narain and the CSE. He claims now that he never gave the Cola companies a clean chit.
" Ask him to sue the cola companies if he says he did not give them a clean chit..what point will suing me serve." Narain asks.
(Photo : Rajesh Sundaram)
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