MADURAI: Admitting the petition filed by Vedanta Group seeking restoration of electricity supply and manpower access to its copper smelter unit in Thoothukudi, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court sought the actual status from the State, and asked whether power supply was required to clear the leakage of the sulphuric acid in the Sterlite plant.
A division bench comprising Justices CT Selvam and AM Basheer Ahamed directed the Additional Advocate General (AAG) K Chellapandian to get instructions from the State officials whether electricity supply and the presence of people of the company were really necessary to remove the hazardous materials as claimed by the petitioner.
Refusing to pass interim order on the petition, the Judges also directed, orally, whether the district administration was ready to allow the expert team of the Sterlite to accompany the government officials during their visit to the plant. The case was adjourned to June 25.
Contending that the abrupt disconnection of power supply, without proper intimation had led to severe acid leakage from the plant, the authorities of the copper smelter said that it was necessary to restore the power supply. It was argued that the only the experts belonging to the company knows how to handle the leakage of the sulphuric acid and the details of the hazardous raw materials stored inside the plant and hence it was necessary to allow the experts from the company to take part in the evacuation process. Rebutting this, AAG contended that government machinery was on full swing and was taking necessary steps to evacuate the acid from the plant.
‘Allow our experts’
Earlier, the Vedanta Group approached the Court seeking restoration of electricity and permission for its authorities and experts to enter the plant for removing the leaked acid as well as other hazardous raw materials present