CHENNAI : The report, submitted by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in July last, does not fully absolve the Sterlite firm of the charge that its copper smelting unit in SIPCOT industrial area in Thoothukudi has caused ground water pollution.
It was so stated in its counter-affidavit filed by the CGWB in response to a PIL petition from the Tamil Nadu government seeking to quash the report, on Thursday. The government has not understood the report. It did not rule out the possibility of Sterlite causing ground water contamination, the report said.
“As the scientific team of the Board could not enter the premises of Sterlite for collection of samples, it was not possible for it to establish a direct linkage between the ground water contamination and the effluent seepage from the plant. The conclusion arrived at by the Board neither ruled out the pollution caused by Sterlite nor contradicted the findings of the TN Pollution Control Board investigations,” the counter added.
The report summoned by the petitioner through this court titled as “Report on short-term investigation of ground water quality in and around SIPCOT industrial area” has already been shared with the State government, the counters aid.A division bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Krishnan Ramasamy posted to November 19 next hearing in the case.