Sterlite Factory To Be Permanently Shut; Government Order Issued After Public Outcry Over Deaths 

A government order (GO) has been issued today (28 May) to seal and ‘permanently shut’ the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, after 13 people were killed in a police firing on an anti-Sterlite demonstration, The Hindu has reported.

"The plant is permanently sealed. There is no more confusion. I request the people of Thoothukudi to co-operate with the district administration to bring normalcy back in the district," Thoothukudi Collector Sandeep Nanduri said.

The order has reportedly been passed as per the directions of the Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister (CM) Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

The order was issued as the TN Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) hadn’t released a Consent to Operate to Vedanta Ltd’s Copper smelter plant in its order dated 9 April, 2018. The state’s leadership had hence taken the decision to close down the plant after meeting the protestors.

“Subsequently, on 23 May, the TNPCB has also issued directions for closure and disconnection of power supply to the unit. The power supply has been disconnected on 24 May,” an official government release stated.

Announcing the decision, the TN CM said that in ordering the plant’s closure, his government was following in the Late CM Jayalalitha’s footsteps.

“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,” he said.