COCA COLA, which is at the centre of a raging water usage controversy in India, has for the first time admitted to the full gravity of the water problem surrounding its plants in the country. The US soft drinks MNC has announced that it would more than fully compensate for water drawn by its various bottling plants in the country. This major announcement was made by Coca Cola India CEO and President Atul Singh in an interview with Sahara Samay Network on its prime time weekend 'Global Indian' series. In response to a question on the water controversy, Singh said, "As you said there is a water problem in the country As far as under ground water is concerned, wherever a factory is being set up they should try that for the people living in the nearby areas industry itself makes arrangements for water." The top Coke execu tive in India announced that "we have committed that in the coming two years i.e., by the end of 2009 whatever amount of water is extracted by us we also return more water than that." Realizing the full gravity of the ever-mounting water crisis in the country, Singh lamented: "See we cannot eradicate the complete water crisis but wherever we have a factory we can solve the problem of water there. We can work with local government and Panchayats to solve the water problems." During the show, Singh spoke at length about the pesticide controversy involving cola majors operating in the country. He attributed the pesticide controversy to a communication gap between various stakeholders mostly the consumer and the producer and said that Coca Cola would invest time, energy, and resources in educating its consumers about the truth regarding the/ pesticide controversy. He averred, "This issue can only be solved by dialogue involving politicians, NGOs', the civil society, industry and the consumers." Asked to comment on bitter rival Pepsi's global CEO and compatriot Indira Nooyi, the Coke India head lavished endless praise and said he was happy to see an Indian do so well. "For me Indira Nooyi is respectable. I have met her six months back. She is a good and a courageous woman. Being an Indian I feel happy that another Indian takes care of a multinational global company." Singh, who did his education in Kolkata before going abroad, and has just assumed the charge at the American Chambers Of Commerce (AMCHAM), lamented the lack of industrial development in West Bengal. "Kolkata is a great city. I have spent my childhood there, spent time in college. All these are 28-year old things but even today they are in mind. As far as politicians are concerned, they should work hard and take Kolkata higher. It should be developed, as a major metro city. Industry should be encouraged there." (Global Indian series is a weekly business interview programme anchored by Rakesh Khar, Sahara Samay Network Business Editor which Is on air every Sunday at 11.30 am)