The Sterlite Industries (India) Limited, whose copper smelting plant in Tuticorin was closed down on Saturday, said it was committed to cooperating fully with authorities and would engage with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to explain the “factual position” relating to the factory.
In a statement, the company said it had been operating the copper smelter in Tuticorin for the last 17 years with requisite approvals from regulatory bodies.
The plant, it said, adhered to highest standards of environment, health and safety practices benchmarked to international standards.
Meanwhile, the company claimed that in response to a “few public opinions of emission” on March 23, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board carried out a preliminary inspection.
“We provided to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board all the technical details of the operations which confirms that all parameters and key readings of the particular period of 23 March, were well within the permissible range.
“The district administration also issued a press note confirming that no case of illness was reported on account of alleged emission, based on a report by district health officials,” the statement claimed.
It further added that the matter should have been the subject matter of detailed technical evaluation by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.