CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the state government to constitute a committee headed by the member-secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for choosing an agency to carry out remediation of the copper slag contaminated in and around the now-defunct Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi.
The direction was issued by the first bench of Chief Justice KR Shriram and Justice Sunder Mohan when a 2019 petition filed by environmental activist Fatima seeking orders to demolish the factory and carry out the remediation works came up.
The bench said the committee headed by the member-secretary of CPCB shall also have a senior scientist of board, member secretary of TNPCB and an expert from the IIT Mumbai; and shall be constituted within 2 weeks.
AAG J Ravindran, representing the government, submitted a report of the TNPCB suggesting four agencies - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Delhi, ERM India Private Limited and Stratus Environmental Inc Private Limited, Chennai, - for the remedial work.
However, the counsel for the petitioner objected to NEERI.
The bench adjourned the hearing to July 13.