THOOTHUKUDI: Making a U-turn on Sterlite Copper issue, Minister for Information and Publicity Kadambur C Raju on Wednesday said the closure of the private copper smelter unit was not in the hands of State government.It was only on Friday last that he told reporters in Kovilpatti in the district that steps were being taken to shut the plant, while also appealing to the people to withdraw their protest against the unit.However, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural of ‘Clean India’ campaign in Kovilpatti on Wednesday, the minister said the decision on plant closure rests with the National Green Tribunal and not the State government.
“There is panic among the public on the functioning of the copper plant. Considering the sentiments of the Thoothukudi residents, the State government acted accordingly and refused to renew its Consent to Operation (CTO) application. But closing the unit permanently is not in our hands. It lies with the NGT,” he said.Denying MDMK general secretary Vaiko’s remarks that the refusal to renew CTO was merely an eyewash, Raju said the formers should restrain from fuelling protests and instilling fear among the public. “Such acts do not speak good of a leader of his calibre,” Raju said, adding he is ready to meet the protesters.
Meanwhile, villagers protesting against the unit have integrated and formed a struggle committee called Federation of Villagers against Sterlite to strengthen their stir. The representatives from each of the villages affected by the industrial pollution caused by the copper unit have come together to float the struggle committee, to keep the protest alive. The villagers of A Kummareddiarpuram, Pandarampatti, Madathur, Thabalthanthi Colony, Meelavitan, Silverpuram, Subramaniapuram, Murugesan Nagar, South Veerapandiyapuram, Palaiyapuram, Ceylon Colony, and Sankaraperi, along with the residents of Thoothukudi, have joined together to strengthen the stir.