Sterlite Industries has sought Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s intervention to restart its Tuticorin plant. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had, on Saturday last, ordered a shutdown of the plant following a leakage of toxic gas.
In a communication addressed to the Chief Minister, P. Ramnath, Chief Executive Officer, said the company’s copper smelter at Tuticorin has been operational for the last 17 years and adheres to the highest standards of environment bench-marked to the international standards.
“We are surprised to receive a plant closure notice from TNPCB based on certain complaints received on emissions from the plant, though District authorities confirmed no illness was reported in the hospitals,” said the letter,a copy of which is with
The TNPCB closure notice has brought a state of uncertainty to the project and has brought production to a standstill. The company is in close coordination with TNPCB officials and has filed a detailed report mentioning the best practices maintained. The company is also open to any further improvement as may be suggested by TNPCB, said the communication.
Sterlite contributes about 50 per cent of domestic copper requirements and is the largest producer of fertiliser-grade phosphoric acid.
In a separate press release, the company said the TNPCB has carried out preliminary inspection of the plant on March 23 based on a few public complaints.
“We provided all the technical details of the operations which confirmed that all parameters and key readings on March 23 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,” it said. However, TNPCB ordered closure of the plant.