TATA sues Greenpeace for its Turtle Campaign

TATA sons has filed a defamation suit against Greenpeace, the International NGO for their Campaign to safeguard Gahirmatha’s Turtles which are under a threat from TATA’s Dhamra port project.  Dharma Port project is a 50:50 joint venture between TATA and Larsen and Toubro located around  5 KM from the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary (a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance) and 15 KM from the mass nesting beaches of the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary.

In the suit, TATA Sons has also alleged the infringement of its trademarks i.e.,  TATA and ‘T within a circle’ device mark. Greenpeace on their website has placed a Pacman type game in which they has showcased the turtles and Tata’s.The game shows creatures with Tata’s symbol marked on them, trying to catch the turtle.

The game is a mode of creating awareness among people to safeguard the turtles, however now it is on court to decide that whether it causes trademark infringement or not.

According to Financial Express, a notice is served to the NGO asking them to respond by July 27, 2010.