The Supreme Court on Thursday, 24 January, deferred the hearing of the Vedanta Group’s plea seeking direction to reopen the Sterlite plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin. The date of next hearing is 29 January.
Over the last few days, pro-Sterlite groups in Tuticorin and on social media have been asking Chief Minister Edappadi Palanisami to intervene and ensure the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order is implemented.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had sought compliance report from Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper in response to their application seeking renewal of Consent to Operate (CTO), reported The New Indian Express.
The issue of copper slag dumping, construction of gypsum pond, chimney stack height, and development of green belt, among others, had been raised, the report added.
On 6 December 2019, the National Green Tribunal ordered the reopening of the Sterlite copper smelter plant by dismissing Tamil Nadu government’s order to close the plant.
The shutters of the plant were pulled down on 28 May 2018, after allegations that Sterlite polluted the groundwater and caused cancer.
On 22 May 2018, thousands of residents of Thoothukudi took to the streets and over 13 were killed, 200 injured when the police opened fire.
“We allow this appeal, set aside the impugned orders and direct the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to pass fresh order of renewal of consent and authorisation to handle hazardous substances, in the light of above finding, subject to appropriate conditions for protection of environment in accordance with law within three weeks from today. The appellant will also be entitled to restoration of electricity for its operations,” the NGT order said.
The Tamil Nadu government had then appealed against the NGT order in the Supreme Court.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) then refused to consider the company’s request to renew consent to resume operations of the plant in Thoothukudi.
The Board stated that the government of Tamil Nadu and the TNPCB had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and so their request cannot be considered.
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