Madras HC issues notice to Sterlite on plea seeking Rs 750 cr compensation

The Madras High Court today issued a notice to the Vedanta group's Sterlite copper plant on a petition seeking Rs 750 crore towards rehabilitation of people affected by pollution allegedly caused by it and relief for victims of the police firing during a protest in May.

Petitioner Vijaya Nivas sought a court direction to the company to pay Rs 620 crore for rehabilitation of people in and around its plant in Tuticorin, apart from a compensation of Rs 10 crore each for the 13 people killed in police firing during the anti-Sterlite agitation on May 22 and 23.

When the matter came up for hearing, Justices M M Sundaresh and Satheesh Kumar issued notices to Sterlite Copper chairman Anil Agarwal and the central and state governments.

The petitioner claimed that the environment within an area of 25 sq km around Tuticorin had suffered because of the pollution, which had also affected the groundwater.

Hence, the company should pay Rs 620 crore to rehabilitate the affected people, Nivas submitted.

Thirteen people were killed in police firing on May 22 and 23 when violence broke out during the protest by locals demanding closure of the plant.

The state government subsequently issued an order for "permanent closure" of the Sterlite copper smelter, following which the company moved National Green Tribunal to challenge it.