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CITIES: LUCKNOW |
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Pesticide maker may have supplied BHC to Cola cos SRAWAN KUMAR
SHUKLA LUCKNOW: The cola controversy raked up by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is refusing to die down even after Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) giving clean chit to cola giants. An inquiry conducted by UP Agriculture department seems to have thrown some light on the mystery shrouding supply of the banned pesticides Benzene Hexa Chlorine (BHC) and Lindane (Gama BHC) to cold manufacturers in the country.
During a surprise raid at the two premises of the company on October 12 2002, officials of the Plant Protection and Quality Control division of the UP Agriculture department found that the company was engaged in illegally manufacturing BHC, a poisonous chemical banned in the US way back in 1970 and 1993 in India.
In its two reports (No 1856-1955/Camp/Ten-40) dated October 19 2002, then joint director Agriculture department B N Yadav wrote that "the company was having license for producing Lindane only but in the garb of it, the factory was producing the banned chemical BHC."
The report pointed that benzene and chlorine were being chemically reacted in a plant and since benzene is lighter than the air, they used to extract solid BHC on ground. "Since the Lucknow-based company is the only factory in India engaged in production of Lindane (Gama BHC), it is suspected to might have supplied the banned BHC and Lindane to cola giants," claims an officer on condition of anonymity. Copyright © 2004 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved. |
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