Students of 2 Thoothukudi colleges join protests

Condemning the expansion plans of Sterlite Copper near Thoothukudi, residents of Kumarettiyapuram village started protesting against the plant six weeks ago and on Saturday residents of Thoothukudi joined the protest. A massive protest was organised in which shops were closed and fishermen stayed away from fishing. 

On Monday, students of VOC College in Thoothukudi joined the protest against Sterlite Copper and demanded complete closure of the plant. 

On Tuesday, students of Government ITI in Korampallam, in Thoothukudi, staged protest in front of the college campus. They raised slogans against the plant and demanded immediate closure of it. They alleged that Sterlite causes cancer to people of Thoothukudi and children are affected the most in Thoothukudi. 

They were soon joined by students of Kamaraj College in Thoothukudi, who also protested in front of their college campus. They too raised slogans and demanded the government to stop expansion of Sterlite Copper. 

In the meantime, PMK leader GK Mani visited Kumarettiyapuram village and met the residents who are protesting against Sterlite. He assured them that PMK is with them and will protest till the complete closure of the plant. 

However, state Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur Raju said that Sterlite is functioning for close to 25 years and is free from problems. But, after the recent protests government through Thoothukudi Collector had sent a notice to Sterlite and had sought a report from it about the complaints of excess emission and pollution.

Rajya Sabha MP, Sasikala Pushpa, who returned to the House, after her marriage, submitted a notice against Sterlite Copper to call the attention of Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 

She had also requested the Minister to make a statement on the Sterlite issue. After coming out of Rajya Sabha she held a banner demanding ban on Sterlite from Tamil Nadu and which read toxic pollution kills.