Chennai: More than 4 lakh petitions demanding permanent closure of the Sterlite unit, were submitted to former Meghalaya high court Chief Justice Tarun Agrawal, head of a three-member committee, appointed by the National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, to decide Vedanta’s plea, challenging closure of Sterlite’s copper plant at Thoothukudi. Various political parties, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and farmers, fishermen and traders’ association submitted petitions before the committee in Chennai on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam approached the committee to implead it as a party in the proceeding. When the matter came up for hearing before the committee, MP RS Bharathi, organising secretary of the DMK, filed the impleading petition, demanding that the committee dismiss the appeal filed by the Vedanta group since its unit had caused environmental disaster in the coastal town. He also sought authorities to issue adequate compensation to family members of the 13 persons killed and people who sustained injuries in the police firing in Thoothukudi on May 22. DMK's Thoothukudi legislator P Geetha Jeevan also filed a similar petition before the committee.
Former Meghalaya high court Chief Justice Tarun Agrawal on his way to courtroom. —DC
A group representing the anti-Sterlite unit filed 1.20 lakh petitions, Thoothukudi district traders’ association filed 1.50 lakh petitions, Henry Thomas, secretary, Thoothukudi district (south) Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam filed 1 lakh petitions and 50000 petitions were filed by local residents, demanding permanent closure of the unit.
On behalf of a group of traders, fishermen and others, 1.07 lakh petitions were filed before the committee, challenging the closure of the Sterlite unit. It may be noted that when the matter came up for hearing before the committee on September 24, over 45,000 representations from local residents were submitted before the committee in favour of the copper smelter and asking government to re-open the plant. Senior counsel appearing for Sterlite before the committee dismissed the charges leveled by the anti-Sterlite group as baseless. When the committee demanded that the anti-Sterlite group file detailed affidavits in support of their claims, they replied that government should form an expert panel to ascertain the damages caused by the Sterlite unit. The committee adjourned the matter to Saturday for further hearing.
In a memorandum submitted to the committee, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan demanded that the committee close the Sterlite unit in Thoothukudi permanently. Sterlite had operated and expanded its operations from 1996 to 2018 in violation of several laws of the land. The company continued to operate in violation of several environmental laws solely because of the collusive relationship it enjoyed with local TNPCB officials and the state administration. He said the company had not only operated unlawfully, but had also handled pollutants recklessly and with utter disregard to the environment. Between 2013 and 2018, Vedanta Ltd operated without a valid hazardous waste authorisation under the Hazardous Waste Rules, 2008. During April 2016 to March 2017, the company generated 15,645.24 tonnes of toxic arsenic-bearing scrubber cake waste. Of this, the unit disposed 606.3 tonnes in the onsite secured landfill. The remaining 15,038.93 tonnes of toxic waste containing between 450 kg and 600 kg of arsenic was disposed of without a trace. Speaking to media persons, MDMK leader Vaiko said that the Sterlite unit had caused environmental disaster in the coastal region. Madras High Court advocate Milton said that the Sterlite management had ample money power and had committed irregularities in obtaining representations from people. All petitions filed on behalf of the Sterlite unit were bogus, he said.
