Lessons from the thoothukudi tragedy

Less than a week after 13 people were killed when police opened fire on anti- Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi, the Tamil Nadu government issued orders that the Sterlite Copper unit in the district be permanently shut. This has been the demand of Thoothukudi residents for over 20 years, since the plant

Less than a week after 13 people were killed when police opened fire on anti- Sterlite protesters in Thoothukudi, the Tamil Nadu government issued orders that the Sterlite Copper unit in the district be permanently shut. This has been the demand of Thoothukudi residents for over 20 years, since the plant was first established in the district. Residents have alleged that the plant has polluted the air and water. This they believe, has resulted in a spike in occurrence of respiratory diseases and cancer in the district. From last August, when the public heard that the plant may open a second unit in the district, the campaign to shut the plant gained momentum.

On March 24, thousands took to the streets demanding the plant be shut. It was on May 22 that the protests took a violent turn. Sterlite Copper has had a troubled history from the start. It received a license to operate in Thoothukudi in 1996 and since then has regularly been taken to courts on its pollution record. In 2013, the plant was issued closure orders that were later revoked. That year, the Supreme Court, based on a petition by residents and other petitioners, pulled up the company but refused to shut the plant. It ordered the company to pay `100 crore to the district as environmental remediation.

Last week, the Madras High Court ordered a halt to Sterlite Copper’s expansion works. Monday’s order from the TN government, then, is the best possible outcome at this juncture although the company may challenge it legally. It is also worth noting that acceding to public sentiment is not always the best approach—the public, unlike the customer as they say, is not always right.

But when it comes to decisions that are likely to directly affect lives and wellbeing— such as establishing a copper smelter in their backyard—the public’s trust and informed consent are essential in going forward. This is why development and business interests cannot and should not be pursued without meaningful public consultation, awareness building and when required, adequate compensation.

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