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SC fines Pepsi, Coca Cola for
damage to rocks

A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice B N Kirpal, Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice Arijit Pasayat directed the companies to deposit the costs with the court registry within 48 hours.

The court directed a committee, which was constituted to monitor the "commercial vandalism" caused by these companies by painting huge advertisements on the rocks in Kullu, Manali and adjoining areas including Rohtang Pass, to videotape the area so that the extent of damage could be studied.

The ten other organisations included Malhotra Book Depot, Fena Detergent, Birla White Cement, State Bank of India, Sleepwell Mattresses, Nestle India Ltd, Annapurna Hotels.

The court issued notices to several other organisations, which had painted the rocks with their advertisement and directed them to file replies by September 23.

The organisations that received the notices included Ayur, Amaron Batteries, Hotel Trishul, Hotel Marble, Marble Gold Chai, Rin Zin Resort, Hotel Prashant, Gagan Vanaspati, Shiva Fun World, Water Fun World and Lake View Cafe.

"No approval for use of government property for commercial purposes has been obtained by the advertisers who had used crude process for painting their advertisements and caused irreparable damage to the fragile ecosystem," the committee had said in its report.

PTI

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