Himalayan outrage: SC notices to Coke, Pepsi

Salve’s application follows an observation made by Kirpal on his own on August 12 that the court should take up the issue raised by the newspaper report on the damage to the eco-fragile rocks. The Chief Justice had even said then that Pepsi and Coke should be made to pay for the advertisements they painted on the rocks.

Carrying the issue forward, Salve today requested the court to direct the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to inspect the stretch of road between Manali and Rohtang, particularly to examine the damage to ecology caused by the advertisements and other similar activities.

Salve also requested the Court to direct the Himachal Pradesh government to put a stop to the activity of painting on the rocks or any other affixation of advertisements in the eco-sensitive Manali-Rohtang area.

Pointing out that the damage done to the rocks by the advertisements was virtually irreversible, Salve said: ‘‘This is because any attempt to wash off the paints with gallons and gallons of thinner would again be hazardous to the ecology of the area.’’

Confirming the details of The Indian Express report, Salve said the advertisments had been plastered on the mountainside all along a 56-km stretch — from Kothi village to Rallah Waterfalls to Beas Kund.

Salve told the bench, including Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice Arijit Pasayat, that the advertisements of the colas not only endangered the ecology of the area but also violated environmental laws, such as the forest conservation Act and the Indian forest Act.

‘‘These mountain facades are highly eco-fragile and have a huge eco-system. There is moss that grows on the rocks. There are also innumerable species of micro-organisms which are dependant on these rocks,’’ he said while explaining the environmental repercussions of the advertisements.