TN Govt Moves to SC Against NGT’s Order to Reopen Sterlite Plant
NGT in December 2018 ordered the reopening of the plant, saying, the body did not find anything hazardous.
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The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday, 2 January moved to Supreme Court against the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) December order which allowed the reopening of Vedanta Ltd's copper smelter plant, Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi, Bar and Bench reported.
On 15 December, the NGT had allowed the reopening of the plant saying that the Pollution Control Boards cannot close such establishments on “hyper technicalities” if the establishment is complying with pollution control norms and is willing to take precautionary steps.
The body did not find the copper plant hazardous and also said that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) never asked Sterlite to make physical barriers to tackle the leakage.
Following NGT’s order, speaking to reporters on the same day Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had said that the state government will move to SC.
Early last year, Thoothukodi witnessed massive protest over alleged environmental hazards posed by the Sterlite Copper plant. In the protest, 13 people were killed while several were left injured, following which the state government had ordered a shutdown of the plant.
(With inputs from Bar and Bench)
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