Adopt legislation against copper smelters: TTV Dhinakaran

The RK Nagar legislator said it would be the only way which would prevent Sterlite from operating here.

“Now that the House is in session, a special sitting can be arranged to discuss Sterlite. The sitting can follow a cabinet meeting which would take a policy decision not to allow any copper smelter from being operated in the state,” Dhinakaran said.

“The sitting should adopt a legislation as was done in the case seeking exemption for the state from the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and for holding jallikattu. The legislation should be backed by a policy decision which should cite not Sterlite but copper smelters which are detrimental to the environment. We need to get the Presidential assent for the legislation as was the case with jallikattu. We should insist and get it. Only then, we would not have killer factories like Sterlite,” he said.

He recalled how the past attempt by the government to close the plant did not materialise and suggested that only a legislation would stand the scrutiny of any court not the government order.

“As a fellow legislator, I urge the DMK also to attend the session and voice its concerns in the House. Mock Assembly is only a waste of time. We have the Assembly here. Boycotting a complete session is a giveaway to the ruling dispensation to act out its whims and fancies. My wish is that they should resume attending the session,” he said.

“It is up to the DMK to decide whether or not to take my advice,” Dhinakaran added.

On the claim of actor and legislator S Karunaas that he would reveal the secrets of Koovathur, Dhinakaran maintained that he was not aware of any secrets that Karunaas might have had access to in Koovathur. “You should ask Karunaas what the secret is, not me,” he said.