Chief Minister to officials: Get proof to defend Sterlite closure

In the meeting, Palaniswami discussed with the officials about the recent NGT direction in Sterlite Copper issue and the way forward in the case that is under trail in the NGT. The NGT had recently given permission to Sterlite Copper to access administrative unit of the plant. 

Official sources present in the meeting said that the top secretaries briefed Palaniswami and other Ministers about the recent NGT direction favouring Sterlite Copper and NGT directing state government to provide scientific reasons to support the Government Order (GO) that was passed on May 28 to close the Copper unit.

In the recent hearing, NGT members were upset at the arguments of the state government as the counsel did not present any evidence for pollution as claimed in the GO and the defence counsel argued that the GO was politically motivated and there was no evidence for pollution from Sterlite Copper, said sources. 

“The Chief Minister was upset that no proper evidence was put forth by the counsel and directed the advocate general of the state, Vijay Narayan, to present a strong argument in the case in the upcoming hearing by presenting scientific evidences. The officials were also directed to find any scientific report or evidence supplementing the GO,” said sources. 

Sterlite Copper was sealed by Thoothukudi district administration following massive protests on May 22 in which 13 persons were shot dead by the police. The death of 13 persons created a massive uproar across the nation following which a GO was passed to shutdown the plant. 

DMK MP Kanimozhi in a series of tweets had criticised the state government and the government counsel, who appeared in the NGT hearing. She said that the counsel briefed about the hearing only at 10 am in the morning and so there was no adequate preparation to defend the GO. 

She also alleged that government was busy in denying permission to bury former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the Marina beach and so there was no time for briefing in the Sterlite Copper case. “The briefing and discussion on the hearing should have been done by Counsel CS Vaidhyanathan at least a day before. But, CS Vaidhyanathan was busy justifying the denial of space to our leader Kalaignar on Marina in Madras HC,” said Kanimozhi.  She also questioned whether it was done deliberately by the government, to protect Sterlite Copper and accused Palaniswami of taking the state to its lowest point in governance.