New Delhi, Aug 10: Soft drink major Pepsi's petition seeking to restrain the publication of "pesticide report" on Colas by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is likely to come up for hearing before the Delhi High Court tomorrow. The writ petition filed by Pepsico India Holding Pvt Ltd and its bottler Pearl Drinks has sought independent evaluation of the "damaging" report contending that the CSE laboratory has no accreditation and the methods and process adopted in preparing the report was "suspect".

Terming the CSE report as "dubious", Pepsi has said the government department has acted upon the report without ascertaining its correctness and veracity and directed stoppage of Pepsi's products. Requesting the high court to direct the government not to act on the basis of the CSE report alleging presence of pesticides in seven of its products much above the permitted levels as compared to the same product in European Union, Pepsi has said there has been a barrage of media publicity disparaging its beverages.

Pepsi filed a petition on Friday, three days after CSE report suggested that both Pepsi and coca cola were together selling 12 branded products with much higher pesticide contents than the permissible limits.

The petition has listed union ministries of health, defence and food processing as respondents. Other respondents mentioned in the petition are Bureau of Indian Standards, CSE and its director Sunita Narayan.

Bureau Report