TN Govt Orders Closure of Sterlite Copper Smelter -Saturday March 30,2013

Sterlite Industries Limited’s copper smelter in Tuticorin was shut down on Saturday March 30,2013 in the wake of an order from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Tuticorin Collector Ashish Kumar instructed officials to inspect the Vedanata group company to make sure that the production lines remained shut.

The closure order has come after a gas leak was reported in the early hours on March 23,2013.Following emission of sulphur dioxide from Sterlite, people in the neighbourhood experienced unease and complained of suffocation, sneezing and burning sensation in the eye

An order was served by RDO of Tuticorin, K. Latha, to the company on March 24, seeking explanation for the incident within five days.

D. Dhanavel, General Manager, Projects, Sterlite Copper, said the closure order was received on March 29,2013 Friday night.

Activists protesting against the functioning of the copper smelter celebrated the shutdown.Vaiko, general secretary, MDMK, in a statement thanked Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for her decision to close down the smelter. He termed Sterlite as a ‘noxious industry’ causing harm to the lives of people. Pollution in all forms from Sterlite and its baneful effects impacted the livelihoods of farmers, fishermen and traders as farm lands turned unproductive and groundwater and seawater became unusable. 

However,the company insisted that it had been in operation for 17 years with all requisite clearances and approvals