Sterlite approaches Green Tribunal against pollution control board order

TNPCB had ordered to shut company's copper smelter plant in Tuticorin district

The Vedanta Group's Sterlite Industries has filed a petition at the National Green Tribunal against Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB's) order to shut company's copper smelter plant in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu.

The petition was filed on the grounds stating that the company was not provided opportunity of being heard and the order was passed in haste. The Tribunal has admitted the Petition and asked the Pollution Control Board to file a response. The matter is expected to be heard next week.

Last week, TNPCB said that it has identified that there was sulphur dioxide emission and several people in the neighbourhood has experienced eye irritation among other disturbances and based on this the Board has asked the company to close down the plant, following which the factory was closed since Saturday.

A company statement issued a statement stating that in response to a few public complaints of emission, on March 23, 2013, TNPCB carried out a preliminary inspection and the company provided all the technical details of the operations to confirm that all parameters and key readings of the particular period of 23 March, were well within the permissible range.

Closure of the plant for one day would lead to a loss of around Rs 5 crore for the company, said spokesperson of Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd. The facility has a capacity to manufacture 4 lakh tonne copper per annum and has a turnover of Rs 18,000 crore.