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TN will challenge NGT order for reopening Sterlite plant in SC: Palaniswami
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday said the state will challenge in the Supreme Court an order of the National Green Tribunal which set aside the government's closure of mining firm Vedanta Ltd's Sterlite Copper plant at Thoothukudi.
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The NGT on Saturday allowed the appeal of the company challenging closure of its plant, saying the closure order was "non-sustainable" and "unjustified".
The tribunal has asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to pass a fresh order for renewal of consent and authorisation to handle hazardous substances.
"The Tamil Nadu government will appeal against this order in the Supreme Court," Palaniswami told reporters here.
Similar views were expressed by Tamil Nadu Minister for Environment and Pollution Control K.C. Karuppannan.
Speaking to reporters, Karuppannan said Chief Minister K. Palaniswami is firm on closing down the Sterlite Copper smelter plant, adding: "The state government will challenge the NGT order in the Supreme Court."
Meanwhile, PMK Founder S. Ramadoss said the NGT's decision is on expected lines, and therefore, neither surprising nor shocking.
Ramadoss said the order to reopen the copper smelter plant, popularly known as Sterlite Copper, shows that the corporate dominance has won.
According to Ramadoss, the state government is not interested in closing down the smelter plant but ordered the closure to calm down the situation in Tuticorin after the police fired at a procession against the plant killing 13 persons on May 22 this year.
"The state government's closure order is nothing but a self goal scored," Ramadoss said.
Tamil Nadu State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI) R. Mutharasan said the NGT's order is shocking and disappointing.
On May 28, the state government had ordered the TNPCB to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.
At least 13 people were killed and several injured in police firing during anti-Sterilite protests on May 22 and 23.
The Supreme Court recently refused to stay a Madras High Court order for a CBI probe against police officials for firing during the protests.
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