The DMK, which was in the forefront of the anti-Sterlite agitation demanding the “permanent closure” of the company alleging it of environmental pollution finds itself in a precarious situation following the disclosures made by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in the floor of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Palaniswami told the House that it was the DMK which had given permission to the Sterlite for their first and second plants and also the 328 acres of land demanded by the company.
MK Stalin, EMK chief and Leader of the Opposition demanded in the House that the Government should adopt a policy decision for the permanent closure of the Sterlite Copper Plant at Thoothukudi in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict which refused to quash the order of the National Green Tribunal to process the reopening of the plant.
The plant was shut down by a special order by the Tamil Nadu Government in May 2018 following widespread rioting by anti-Sterlite activists at Thoothukudi resulting in police firing which claimed 13 lives. The Vedanta Group had approached the National Green Tribunal against the Government order and got a favourable verdict. Though Tamil Nadu Government appealed to the apex court pleading for the cancellation of the NGT verdict the Supreme Court declined to alter the Tribunal order.
This led Stalin to allege in the House that the Tamil Nadu Government failed in taking effective steps for the closure of the plant. Chief Minister Palaniswami in his reply, rebutted all the allegations levelled by the DMK leader and put the ball back in the latter’s court.
“We will take appropriate legal steps to ensure the permanent closure of Sterlite. But the DMK is behind all the problems associated with the Sterlite. The root cause of all the problems faced now was the permission given for the operation of the Sterlite plant by the then DMK regime on October 14, 1996, without considering the conditions set by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. While in power , the DMK has not taken any stand against Sterlite,” said Palaniswami, quoting records and facts.
The Chief Minister said the DMK ruled the State during 1996-1998. “Though many Public Interest Litigations were filed during this period in Madras High Court against the plant, highlighting the facts that pollution and industrial accidents were because of the company’s failure to ensure sufficient safeguards, the DMK Government took a stand favourable to the plant,” said Palaniswami.
He said though the High Court had ordered the plant be shut down, the Sterlite management approached the Supreme Court and got a favourable order October 1, 2010. “The arguments placed before the Supreme Court by the then DMK Government resulted in Sterlite getting a favourable order,” said Palaniswami.
He also disclosed that the DMK had told the Madras High Court that permission was granted after following all the rules and regulations of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. “This submission was filed by the DMK Government as a response to the PIL filed by Vaiko, the MDMK leader, who now is the strongest ally of the DMK,” said the Chief Minister.
He further stated that it was the DMK Government which gave Sterlite the permission to lunch and operate the second plant. “The DMK Government also provided the company with 328.54 acres of land for the plant,” said Palaniswami.