Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages announces two new, large water sustainability projects

Chandigarh, March 21,2015: Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd, one of the country’s leading FMCG Company and the largest bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company in India, today announced to undertake two large Integrated Watershed projects in Betul, Madhya Pradesh and SinnarTaluka, Nasik, Maharashtra, as an ode to World Water Day. Both these projects are aimed at promoting integrated and community based natural resources development and sustainable water management, for enhancing livelihoods.  Upon completion, these two multi-partnership projects, is estimated to benefit nearly 30,000 people. The Company will also dedicate drinking water projects in Pune, restored community reservoir at Soda village, Tonk district, Rajasthan and a water harvesting and replenishment project in the premises of Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University and Sri VenkateswaraAgricultural CollegeinTirupati, to the respective local communities.

Announcing these projects, T. Krishnakumar, CEO, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd, said, “We have a shared interest in ensuring the sustainability of water resources. It is most critical to human existence and it is also the principal ingredient in our product. Our responsibility therefore is a little more. As a company, we are increasingly focusing on implementing water replenish Plus projects, which benefit the community in more ways than one. Our previous projects - drip irrigation projects in Rajasthan, mango farming projects in Jalgaon, watershed development projects in Thirunelveli and Dungarpur, have showed us the way. We are building on those learnings, as we undertake these two new projects in MP and Maharashtra. We have already earmarked Rs. 10 crores as our monetary contribution to the project, but more than that, we are excited by the opportunity to work with the local community and civil society organisations in some of the most underdeveloped areas of the country”

In addition to the two new projects, the Company will dedicate the following completed projects to the respective communities:

Water harvesting project at Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University and Sri Venkateswara Agricultural College, Tirupati – This project will help to increase the impounding capacities at the check dams, farm ponds, Gabion Structures, Check Walls, Percolation tanks and also control the velocity of the run off through Contour Bunds. The stored water will not only be useful for the crop survival irrigation in the campus but will also help in live demonstration of projects to the students and farmers groups.

In Soda,Tonk, Rajasthan, Hindustan Coca-Cola has supported restoration of “ShivraTaal” in Soda Village of Rajasthan in partnership with Soda Panchayat. This taal is the only source to meet water requirements - be it drinking water, domestic usage, agriculture and livestock of the Soda village and 08 Dhanis (hamlets) under the Soda Panchayat. Chhavi Rajawat, Sarpanch, Soda Village, said, “All efforts of the Panchayat are aimed at giving the residents a better life and for the Soda Panchayat, it meant addressing the water problem. Unfortunately, the long-existing government schemes prohibit the usage of machinery (such as earth movers) – a critical requirement for efficient execution of water conservation work – and hence an alternate strategy had to be devised. I am glad to have got requisite support from Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages. ShivraTaal is the lifeline of Soda village as well as neighbouring helmets and I cannot thank Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages enough. This initiative will go a long way in ensuring water security for all of us.”

Four new drinking water stations in Pune at Shivaji Nagar Bus Station, Sasoon Hospital, Yerawada School and outside of Pune Rly Station.

In addition to the above mentioned interventions, awareness and training programs will also be conducted for the benefit of the community. The soft skill programmes are essential to develop sustainability of any programme and hence programmes among the villagers are organised on water conservation, safe drinking water, improved sanitation practice & good hygiene.