Kochi: The Coca Cola Job Protection Committee has urged the Kerala Government to review the decision to stop the Plachimada plant from operating as the livelihood of thousands of employees of the bottling unit is at stake.

About 27 factories, including Pepsi, United Breweries and Kerala Distilleries whose operations are similar in nature to that of Coke are currently functioning in the district.

Over 2,500 employees of the factory and their families are facing an uncertain future because of the closure of the plant, a statement from the company said. The reasons for the water shortage in the area are deficient monsoon and the Tamil Nadu Government not releasing water in the required quantity from Aliyar dam to Kerala, said Mr S. Sridharan, President of the committee.

He alleged that the decision to stop the Coke plant was a tactic adopted by the State Government to appease certain `lobbies'' working against the soft drink major and aimed at the vote bank in the district in view of the elections.