The Tamil Nadu Government Saturday said it would challenge in the Supreme Court the NGT order setting aside the closure of the Vedanta Ltd’s Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin on pollution grounds in the wake of protests by locals.
The Opposition parties hit out at the State Government, holding it responsible for the development with the DMK alleging that the ‘negligent’ attitude of the Palaniswami ministry resulted in the ‘embarrassment’. The Vedanta group said it would take all steps required to restart the unit as per the guidelines of the tribunal and that the company would continue to adopt “best practices followed globally” in its operation.
The National Green Tribunal Saturday set aside the order of the state government to permanently close the Sterlite Copper plant, holding that it was “non-sustainable” and “unjustified”.
Allowing an appeal by Sterlite, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson A K Goel asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to pass a fresh order for renewal of consent and authorisation to handle hazardous substances, subject to appropriate conditions for protection of the environment in accordance with law within three weeks from Saturday.
The State Government had on May 28 ordered the permanent closure of the factory days after violent protests by the locals against the Sterlite led to death of 13 people in police firing.
In a terse reaction to the NGT verdict, Palaniswami told reporters in Salem that “the Tamil Nadu government will appeal against this order in the Supreme Court”.
Attacking the Government, DMK President M K Stalin said it should not stop with merely saying it would appeal and take concrete action to permanently close the unit.
The state cabinet should take a policy decision to ensure the permanent closure after gathering evidence of environmental threats and conducting scientific surveys to show continued operation of the copper unit would result in irreversible pollution, he said.
In a statement, Stalin said despite the DMK’s insistence on a policy decision by the state cabinet to permanently close down the Sterlite unit, Palaniswami Government got the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to issue the order for the shut the unit.
“By his negligent action, Palaniswami has not only brought embarrassment to himself but has also brought shame on the State officials known for their administrative efficiency,” he alleged.
Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said the Government’s stand was that there was a permanent closure of the copper plant.
“We have already taken a decision that this plant should not be operated at any cost. That is our stand. As stated by the Chief Minister, we will make an appeal against the NGT order”, he said.
In Coimbatore, Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani and Environment Minister KC Karuppannan said there was no change in the stance of the State Government and the Chief Minister that Sterlite would not be allowed to function again.