Delhi High Court Judge B.D. Ahmed told India's additional Solicitor-General K.K. Sud to test samples of Pepsi in state-owned laboratories after claims that the companies were peddling tainted beverages.

"The issue concerns public health. This testing should be done immediately and the reports should be made available within three weeks," the judge said.

The ruling came on an appeal by Pepsi's Indian branch seeking an "independent evaluation" of damaging pesticides-in-cola allegations levelled at both Pepsi and Coca-Cola last week by India's Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) non-governmental organisation.

Pepsi argued the CSE laboratory that conducted the testing was not accredited and that the methodology in preparing the study itself was "suspect".

CSE director Sunita Narayanan welcomed the court order, which does not involve Coca-Cola.

"We told the court that we have clinching evidence and now our stand will be vindicated," said the chief of the forum, which six months ago had accused eight top bottled water brands of selling contaminated products.

The court action came three days after the federal government sent samples of Pepsi and Coke to state laboratories to collaborate the CSE charges.

The CSE stunned India's 500-million-dollar soft drinks industry last week with charges that 12 leading domestic and international brands including Coke and Pepsi contained pesticides up to 45 times more than European norms.

Parliament withdrew the two soft drinks from sale on its premises and political parties in rare unity began a campaign that led to smashing of bottles and attempts by individuals to sue the firms for allegedly damaging public health.

The latest to join the anti-cola drive were outlawed Maoist rebels in the eastern states of Jharkhand and Bihar, who set Friday's national independence day as its unilateral deadline for the two firms to wind up their sales.

"We warn all vendors and wholesellers of the soft drinks manufactured by the two multi-national companies to stop sale of poisonous drinks or be ready to face the anger of the people," the Maoist People's War Group said in a statement.

The guerrillas hold sway in 14 of mineral-rich Jharkhand's 18 states but in Bihar the authorities said they will not tolerate the fiat of the Maoists.

"We will not allow the ban announced by any outfit to succeed. We will protect the vendors who are selling bottled soft drinks," health minister Shakuni Choudhury said.

The protests, meanwhile, have begun taking their toll on Pepsi and Coke sales in Kerala, a southern Indian state which due to its remoteness is often insulated against uproars elsewhere in the country.

The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association, which has nearly 25,000 eateries as its members, stopped selling the fizzy drinks Saturday, saying it will await a final verdict from the government.

"The sales of the cola brands have come down by almost 75 percent in the state following the association's call", association chief K. Kuriakose told

Scientists called for an objective analysis of the CSE study.

"Instead of indulging in any knee-jerk reaction or sending samples here and there, the findings made by the CSE should be cross-checked by a group of competent institutions in a transparent manner," said D. K. Biswas, former chairman of India's Central Pollution Control Board.

TERRA.WIRE