Sterlite Copper has accused the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) of providing ‘flawed data’ before the panel of the National Green Tribunal on Sunday. It also presented the board’s own data to prove that the data was flawed.
The TNPCB on Sunday said that the level of Sulphur dioxide (SO2) in the air had reduced significantly after the closure of Sterlite’s plant at Thoothukudi, to justify the State government’s arguments that SO2 was a major reason for high levels of pollution in the port city, and that the decision to close the plant was correct.
However, Sterlite contends that the TNPCB had relied upon new data pertaining to analysis of soil, sediments, water and air samples collected during October 12-15, 2018, which was contested and demonstrated to be invalid as the subject samples were collected and analysed by a private laboratory appointed by the TNPCB without following due procedure as prescribed under the Air and Water Act, said A Sumathi, Associate Vice President, Sterlite Copper.
The analysis results were challenged as it was carried out only to justify the earlier action of Tamil Nadu’s Government Order to close the factory as the data collected before closure of Sterlite did not show any anomaly.