CHENNAI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday granted an interim relief to Vedanta Ltd to access the administrative section of its Sterlite copper plant at Thoothukudi. The tribunal, however, made it explicitly clear that Vedanta would not have access to its production unit.
The principal bench, headed by chairman Adarsh Kumar Goel, has directed the Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to submit data on pollution around the Sterlite plant within 10 days and status of chemical stocks in the plant after Vedanta’s counsel continued to argue that closure of plant without regular maintenance would spell disaster.
The tribunal rejected Tamil Nadu’s submission on maintainability of the case and posted the matter for further hearing on August 20. Vedanta’s counsel asked the NGT to form a panel to run the plant for a month to see results.
Vedanta said 40 per cent of India’s copper was produced by Sterlite and its closure had led to imports from other countries.
In the interim prayer, Vedanta had asked the tribunal to direct the TNPCB to restore and provide minimum power supply, water and manpower access for safeguarding the emergency systems of the plant as it housed various chemicals, resins and fuels which, due to sudden closure of the plant, would pose a threat to the surroundings and the plant and machinery. The company also requested access to the administrative building, IT server room, record room and fire office.
Sources told Express that the State was considering challenging the NGT order in the Supreme Court as it still felt Vedanta’s plea challenging the GO before NGT was not maintainable. Meanwhile, Vendata has welcomed the NGT order.
P Ramnath, CEO, Sterlite Copper, said, “We welcome the NGT decision to accept the maintainability of our petition and hear the same. We further welcome the NGT’s interim order that gives us access to the administrative section of the plant.”
Permanent closure
The State on May 28 ordered the TNPCB to seal and “permanently” close the smelter plant following violent protests in which 13 people died in police firing