Thiruvananthapuram: Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leader M P Veerendrakumar, MP, today (Jun 27, 2004) took strong exception to a Union Health Ministry sub-committee decision to set up a new panel while "dragging" feet on the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the issue of pesticide residue in soft drink brands in the country.

"The decision of the Pesticide Residues Sub-committee of the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry to set up another sub-committee is appalling and shocking. It directly challenges the credentials of the JPC by terming the report unscientific," he said in a statement.

A month after the JPC tabled its report, the sub-committee in March last heard 21 stakeholders including multinational majors Pepsico and Coca Cola "in blatant support of the industry position," the JD (S) leader said.

"Quite revealingly they did not deem it important to call the Centre for Science and Environment which had tested soft drinks for pesticide residues and had deposed before the JPC, he said.

"The sub-committee's decision seems to have been taken in haste and without due application, willfully ignoring the welfare of the people. The people take precedence over all other interests in a Parliamentary democracy," he said.