Who could have guessed after their annual summer slugfest for the thirsty Indian market, that PepsiCo and Coca-Cola would actually deign to join hands and appear on a common platform? This miracle was wrought by the common and compelling need to defend products and bottomlines from the damage caused by the latest report from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) pointing to unacceptably high levels of toxic pesticide residues in their soft drinks. Both companies have predictably claimed that the report is not reliable and that they are considering the option of suing CSE. Perhaps they should do just that. Court cases are excellent devices to unearth the truth...editorial