Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has claimed that the decision to permanently close down Sterlite’s copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi was taken “respecting the sentiment of people” and appealed to the residents to cooperate with the government and ensure normalcy completely returned in the southern coastal district.
“The plant has been shut permanently. Respecting the sentiment of the people and fulfilling their demands, the government took the decision to permanently close the factory and accordingly issued the orders today,” the CM said and sought the cooperation from the people of Thoothukudi to ensure complete normalcy in the district.
“Amma (late CM J. Jayalalithaa) government will do what is beneficial for the people,” Mr Palaniswami said and added that many organisations had called on him, Deputy CM and other Ministers and demanded the permanent closure of the plant. Though the National Green Tribunal granted permission to operate, the factory did not follow the norms and on April 9, 2018, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) cancelled their application for renewal. Not only this, the PCB snapped power supply, he told reporters on Monday evening flanked by his Deputy Mr O. Panneerselvam and cabinet colleagues.
Separately, Palaniswami said in a statement that the citizens of Thoothukudi had been opposing the operation of the plant and were seeking a permanent closure of the plant as it had violated the terms related to the environment set by the National Green Tribunal and the T NPCB.
“Based on requests made by various groups opposed to the operation of the plant in a meeting today, the request to shut down the plant completely was considered in a rigorous manner,” Palaniswami said. The Tamil Nadu government, he said, was following in the footsteps of late Jayalalithaa and hence has taken the decision to close the plant in the interest of the public.
To a question he replied, “this morning while visiting the affected in the hospital Mr Panneerselvam, accompanied by the ministerial colleagues, has assured the people that the government is willing to consider their plea for treatment in the hospital of their choice.”
