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Abstract
In March 2000, Coca Cola, under its Indian subsidiary Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited (HCCBPL), established a bottling plant at Plachimada, a small village in the Perumatty panchayat, located in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. After two years of manufacturing cola products in Plachimada, the extensive extraction of groundwater for the production facility and the improper disposal of waste started to negatively impact the local environment. This led to environmental injustice, toxicity, a shortage of drinking water, and related environmental issues. Under these conditions, the local population, particularly the tribal individuals residing closest to the plant, resisted seeking justice, and Mayilamma, a tribal woman of the Eravallar community, spearheaded the movement. Within this framework, the article focusses on Mayilamma’s autobiography, Mayilamma: The Life of a Tribal Eco-Warrior, as a means to illustrate the Plachimada struggle, the detrimental impacts of capitalism and developmentalism, the injustices faced by tribal communities, and their response to these challenges. In doing so, the article highlights the importance of grassroots activism and environmentalism of the poor, employing Mayilamma’s narrative as a springboard.
Published Version
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