MAM
Coca Cola claims to get clean chit from Gujarat government
MUMBAI: Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages company has claimed that the Gujarat government has given a clean chit to all the 17 samples of soft drinks drawn from various places in the state.
This is part of attempt by Indian cola companies to prove the allegations of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) wrong by obtaining ‘No objection’ certificates from state government health labs and other independent testing units.
A statement issued by the company claims that the Gujarat government has given a clean chit to all the samples of soft drinks drawn from various places in the state after they were tested negative for the presence of certain pesticides falling under the category of organo-chlorine such as lindane, DDT and chloropyrifos.
A release says that the samples, which included Coke, Thums Up, Fanta and Limca, were sent to the Food and Drugs Laboratory, Vadodara, for analysis. It also claims that the samples were tested with the help of highly sophisticated equipment like gas chromatographer with electron capture detector; capable enough to detect pesticides in concentration of one part per billion. None of the samples were found to have traces of any of these pesticides – says the release.
The state commissioner of the Food and Drugs Control Administration said no pesticides falling under the organo-chlorine category were found in any of these samples.
“We have always maintained that our products are absolutely safe. The latest test reports from the Gujarat Government further reconfirms this fact. A series of similar test reports from various other state governments and independent laboratories of the national and international fame, including the Central Science Laboratory of the UK, one of the world’s top scientific labs, has supported our contention. These results will further
strengthen our relationship with our millions of consumers across the country who trust our quality and with whom we share a special bond”, Coca-Cola India spokesperson said in a press statement.
Brands
Trump announces $300bn Texas oil refinery with Reliance, calls it the biggest in US history
First new US refinery in 50 years planned at Brownsville port with Reliance
WASHINGTON: The United States may soon see the first brand-new oil refinery built on its soil in half a century.
Donald Trump announced a proposed $300 billion refinery project in Texas, calling it a landmark moment for American energy production and jobs.
Posting on Truth Social on 10 March, Trump said the facility would be built at the Port of Brownsville and developed by a company called America First Refining, with major investment from India’s Reliance Industries.
The announcement frames the project as a centrepiece of the administration’s push for “energy dominance”, with Trump claiming it would deliver thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity to South Texas.
If realised, the plant would mark the first all-new major refinery constructed in the United States since the 1970s. In recent decades, oil companies have largely chosen to expand existing facilities rather than build new ones, citing high costs, regulatory hurdles and environmental scrutiny.
Trump described the proposed investment as the “biggest in US history”, positioning it as proof that policy changes such as streamlined permits and lower taxes are drawing large-scale energy investments back into the country.
The refinery is planned for the Port of Brownsville, a strategic Gulf Coast location that provides easy access to shipping routes and export markets.
A key partner in the project is Reliance Industries, controlled by billionaire industrialist Mukesh Ambani. The company already runs the world’s largest refining complex in Jamnagar, India, making it one of the most experienced operators in large-scale petroleum processing.
The Texas venture would mark a significant step for the group into America’s domestic refining sector, potentially strengthening industrial ties between the US and India.
The proposed refinery is being promoted as a next-generation facility capable of processing American shale oil while maintaining high environmental standards. Trump said it would be “the cleanest refinery in the world”, although the specific technologies behind that claim have not yet been detailed.
Industry observers also note that the $300 billion figure is unusually large for a refinery project, and analysts are waiting for more clarity on whether the number reflects total construction costs, long-term infrastructure investment, or broader economic impact estimates.
As of 11 March, Reliance Industries had not publicly confirmed the investment size or the structure of its involvement.
For now, the announcement has sparked equal parts excitement and curiosity in energy markets. If the plan moves from promise to pouring concrete, the refinery could reshape the Gulf Coast energy landscape, and reopen a chapter in American refining that has been quiet for nearly fifty years.
