Leader of opposition and DMK president Stalin said only a policy decision taken at the cabinet meeting will provide a permanent solution to the Sterlite Copper problem.
With the Supreme Court refusing to stay the National Green Tribunal's order allowing the reopening of the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu have blamed the ruling AIADMK government. They have sought a special legislation to permanently shut down the plant.
DMK MLAs led by its chief MK Stalin on Tuesday staged a walk out of the TN assembly. Leader of opposition and DMK president Stalin said only a policy decision taken at the cabinet meeting will provide a permanent solution to the Sterlite Copper problem. "However, the government is silent," he added.
Stalin said the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered reopening of the Sterlite Copper -- a copper smelter plant -- in Tuticorin, owned by Vedanta Ltd, and the Supreme Court, too has agreed with the NGT order on Tuesday. "We expected the Chief Minister to convene a cabinet meeting but unfortunately, nothing was done," he said.
As the DMK members were walking out of the House, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami clarified that the SC had only issued a notice to the Sterlite plant and had not given a final order on closure of the plant. He assured that Sterlite Copper plant would not be allowed to reopen. The state would decide on its next course of legal action once it receives the details of SC order," he said.
Left parties and PMK urged the state government to bring a special legislation to permanently shut down the Sterlite plant.
The Tamil Nadu government had shut down the plant citing violations and health hazard after 13 people died in police firing in May 2018 during a protest, seeking permanent closure of the plant.
On December 15, the NGT had set aside the state government's order for closure of the Sterlite copper plant, saying it was "non-sustainable" and "unjustified". The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on December 21 ordered a status quo as existed before the NGT order setting aside the state government order for closure of the Sterlite plant. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court hearing the appeal filed by Tamil Nadu government against the NGT order refused to stay the tribunal's order and issued a notice to the Sterlite in this regard.
Past Protests
The Tamil Nadu government had shut down the Sterlite Copper plant citing violations and health hazard after 13 people died in police firing in May 2018 during a protest. The protesters were seeking permanent closure of the plant
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sterlite Copper plant")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}