TN asks NGT-appointed panel to postpone visit to Sterlite unit

The Tamil Nadu government Tuesday urged the Central Pollution Control Board to postpone the coming visit of an expert committee to the closed Sterlite Industries' plant in Tuticorin, citing pendency of its appeal against the NGT order setting up the panel.

In its communication to CPCB, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) referred to pending cases in the Supreme Court against the National Green order on setting up the panel, headed by former Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Tarun Agrawal.

Since the matter was sub-judice in the Supreme Court "we request the committee to postpone the visit" to Tuticorin and Chennai slated from September 22-24, it said.

The NGT had given the interim order setting up the panel on an appeal filed by the Vedanta challenging the state government's May 28 order directing permanent closure of its copper smelter plant in Tuticorin on environment grounds in the wake of protests by locals.

The TNPCB pointed to the state government challenging maintainability of Vedanta's plea and the jurisdiction of the NGT in entertaining it.

The locals were protesting demanding the closure of the Sterlite factory for 99 days and the agitation turned violent on May 22 on its 100th day leading to 13 people being killed in police firing.

Recently, the state government had rejected the Centre's report on groundwater contamination in Tuticorin in the backdrop of the Sterlite controversy, saying it was "absolutely vague" and seemed to support the Vedanta unit which was "totally unwarranted".

It had said the state "strongly feels that the report is motivated and has been prepared only to prejudice the Tamil Nadu government and the TNPCB cases in various judicial fora.