Sterlite to double production

Chennai: Tamil Nadu could possibly become the Asian copper hub if plans of Thoothukudi based Sesa Sterlite Limited —Sterlite Copper fructify on time.The $12.9-billion Veda-nta Group company has ambitious plans to double its copper production capacity at its Thoothukudi plant to eight lakh tonnes per annum, making it the largest copper facility at a single location.

The firm has drawn up investment plans to the tune of Rs 2500- Rs 3,000 crore to double the capacity of the plant. “We are awaiting the environment clearance from the government and are all set to go once the nod is in,” said P. Ramnath, CEO of the company.“If everything goes well, we hope to complete the doubling by 2017,” he added.For now, the Rs 18,908 crore Thoothukudi pla-nt caters to 45 per cent of the country’s copper demand. The expansion will see the capacity of the four lakh tonne per annum plant (tpa) go to 8 lakh tpa and will also see a 2x80 MW power project coming up to meet its enhanced power requirements.

However, the Sterlite plant had drawn a lot of flak from the Greens and had been engaged in legal battles over alleged environmental issues.The company has been in trouble over emission from the facility exceeding the prescribed limit. The company has stayed shut on different occasions with NGOs and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board approaching various courts.

Mr Ramnath said the company had implemented the 31 recommendations, including setting up of a bag house and flue gas de-sulphurisation system, suggested by the NGT.  Besides, it had also deposited '100 crore with the district administration as directed by the Supreme Court in its order in April last year.“We have invested clo-se to Rs150 crore in environment safety alone,” the chief executive said.  In 2012-13, the plant generated Rs18,908 crore revenues to the group and in 2013-14 (July-March) this stood at Rs16,345 crore.