Plachimada (Kerala): Anti-cola activists attending the World Water Conference (WWC), led by anti-globalisation campaigner Vandana Shiva, held a demonstration this morning (Jan 22, 2004) in front of the Hindustan Coca Cola plant demanding that soft drink giants stop depletion of drinking water.

Shiva, while inaugurating the second day's sessions at the WWC, suggested that those attending the meet march to the Coke plant just across the road and sit in dharna for a while expressing solidarity with the local people's struggle.

About 300 participants, including farmer leaders and campaigner from France, Jose Bove, and delegates from Sweden and Canada, Janata Dal (S) state president M P Veerendrakumar, joined the sit-in.

The protestors raised slogans, saying, "We want drinking water. No Coke no Pepsi."

Addressing the session, Shiva wanted the resistance groups to take their struggle against exploitation of water by multinationals to all parts of the world.