Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta's Sterlite Copper on Monday came out with an advertisement inviting expression of interest (EoI) for carrying out plant "restart activities" at its Thoothukudi unit in Tamil Nadu, that got closed more than five years ago following an order issued by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). The EoI for restart comes when the company is still awaiting the final judgement on the issue, and the court has only allowed it to do maintenance work. "We have initiated the upkeep and maintenance activities at the plant as allowed by the Supreme Court vide its order dated May 4, 2023, in coordination with the district authorities.
'We were exporting copper at that time. Now India is importing copper to the tune of around $1.2 billion. Moreover, there was a larger impact on the dependent MSMEs.'
Closure has meant loss of Rs 2,000 crore to the public exchequer; around three per cent of Tamil Nadu's Gross State Domestic Product is from the facility
The Madras high court on Tuesday rejected a plea from mining giant Vedanta to order reopening of its Sterlite copper unit at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
But the company should take extra steps to prevent pollution.
The government order said it endorsed the recent closure direction of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, and also asked the TNPCB to "seal the unit and close the plant permanently".
UK-based Vedanta Resources is looking to start copper production at its Konkola copper mines (KCM) in Zambia and is eyeing to serve global and Indian markets, according to company executives. Promoted by billionaire Anil Agarwal, the miner in November 2023 regained control of the copper mines and smelter, which the Zambian administration had seized in 2019, but needed to pay creditors of the mines to revive operations. The conglomerate was locked in a legal battle over the ownership of the KCM mines prior to a September 2023 Zambia government decision to reinstate the group as owners of the mines.
The bench said when the people were running, the police chased them and opened fire.
The residents of Tuticorin claim that pollution from Sterlite smelter has affected their health and environment, and farmers and fishermen have lost livelihood.
The maintenance work will include operations such as removal of remaining gypsum and leachate handling operations among others. Based on this, the district administration has now allowed the firm to maintain the plant after five years.
Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta's Sterlite Copper has come out with a fresh notification inviting expressions of interest (EoIs) to supply raw materials like copper concentrate, imported thermal coal, rock phosphate and petroleum products, among others, as part of its preparatory measures to restart production at its Thoothukudi unit in Tamil Nadu. This plant is likely to restart operations if a Supreme Court verdict goes in favour of the company. On June 12, the company had invited EoIs for carrying out plant 'restart activities'.
'This government is not in the hands of M K Stalin but in the hands of the bureaucracy -- the IAS and IPS.'
'The ministry of home affairs has all records of money coming in from abroad.' 'Are they saying money is coming in without their knowledge?' 'Does the governor doubt the MHA?'
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi stoked a fresh controversy on Thursday, remarking that the anti-Sterlite protests in the state in 2018 had been fuelled by foreign funds and was aimed at hindering progress. His comment instantaneously drew an outcry from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its allies.
The enquiry commission's report tabled in the assembly on Tuesday said the police shooting on the protesters was unprovoked.
Sterlite in a statement said the judge observed there was a difference between public perception and ground reality.
The Supreme Court Thursday termed the COVID-19 situation as almost a "national emergency" while agreeing to hear Vedanta's plea for opening of its Sterlite copper unit at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu on the ground that it would produce thousand tonnes of oxygen and give it free of cost to treat patients.
The top court said there should be no political bickering over the generation of oxygen by Vedanta as the country is facing a national crisis.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul said the case will be heard on January 8.
Assembly Speaker M Appavu said leaders of the two AIADMK factions submitted him 6 letters, including 4 from Palaniswami, asking for separate seating arrangement in the Assembly for their respective members.
The plant had been kept shut in violation of the order of the NGT and a subsequent interim order of the top court.
The unit was sealed by the state government in May 2018, days after 13 agitators were killed in police firing during a violent anti-Sterlite protest in the southern district.
The National Human Rights Commission took cognisance of the violence and issued notices to chief secretary and the director general of police, calling for detailed reports in two weeks.
Even as there is strong public sentiment against reopening Sterlite's copper plant in Tamil Nadu come reports that four farmers groups have come out in support of the factory.
This comes at a time when the group's copper plant in Tamil Nadu remains shut for nearly three years, causing a Rs 5 crore loss every day.
'If the BJP comes back to power, Sterlite will open in one week.' 'If the Congress comes to power, it will open in one month.'
The CM also announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for those killed during the protest and Rs 3 lakh each for the injured, government jobs for the family members of the deceased also announced.
The Tamil Nadu government had, on May 28, ordered the state pollution control board to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.
The Anil Agarwal-controlled Sterlite Industries on Tuesday said it had dropped its plan to demerge the copper business as part of its restructuring process that commenced in January 2003.
The home minister said he was deeply pained at the loss of precious lives during the agitation at Tuticorin.
The actor also said that the Centre will face TN wrath if it fails to set up CMB.
To mark the first anniversary of the Sterlite firing anniversary -- 13 people died and several were injured when the Tamil Nadu police fired on a large crowd protesting -- various organisations will hold rallies and meetings in the port city.
Mark Scialla had interviewed several people on December 28 and 29 on alleged health issues faced by them due to the now closed Sterlite copper plant. Rambha said the visa clearly stated that the American national should not embark on any work except tourist activities.
According to industry experts, companies in sectors such as consumer durables (fans, air-conditioners), power cables and the electrical industry will be hit, given that they are big users of copper.
Vedanta had sought handing over of the plant for three months saying it requires two months to start the unit and the company should be allowed to run it for four weeks to ascertain whether its polluting or not. The interim plea by Vedanta was opposed by Tamil Nadu government which claimed before a bench headed by Justice R F Nariman that the plant had been 'polluting consistently'.
The land price collected for the said land allotment will be refunded.
PM's Massive Mission to achieve 'Swachh Bharat' by 2019 is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.
The case has been registered against unidentified officials of police and revenue department on the basis of a complaint from K Arjunan, district secretary, Communist Party of India-Marxist.
The directions came after the Delhi government told the court that oxygen that was to come from Panipat in Haryana was not being allowed to be picked up by the local police there.
The Sterlite Copper Smelter unit in Tuticorin, which was shut down over two months ago, has resumed operations after the National Green Tribunal's expert panel gave a green signal.
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