Coke plant issue being politicised: Minister

Kerala local administration minister Cherkalam Abdulla on Monday said the government would take action against the Coco Cola plant at Plachimada in Palakkad district if the unit was found causing pollution, but added nothing would be done under political pressure.

Replying to a submission by A Neelalohithadasan Nadar (JD-S) in the Assembly, Abdulla said there were efforts to "politicise the issue."

"The government would take action against the plant if it was found from the laboratory tests of samples that the sludge discharged by the company contained toxic substance or it caused depletion of groundwater in the area," Abdulla said.

The appeal filed by the company challenging the Perumatty panchayat's decision cancelling the licence of the plant was pending before the high court, he said.

The government had asked the state Pollution Control Board to examine whether the sludge from the factory contained toxic elements.