)
Sterlite’s Tuticorin plant has been shut since March 29, after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board alleged sulphur dioxide emissions from the copper facility were beyond permissible levels. Sterlite has said its revenue loss on account of the closure of the plant is about Rs 50 crore.
Earlier, the tribunal had planned to announce an order on the case on Monday, based on the findings of a committee appointed by it. The committee had inspected the machinery and tools at the plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.
Today, the southern bench of the tribunal, comprising M Chockalingam and expert member R Nagendran, said, “Circumstances did not permit; we are not inclined to hear the case further and on our request, the Registrar in New Delhi has withdrawn the case from here”. He added, “It was absolutely unfortunate that we had to take this decision, when we wanted to give a good judgment. This tribunal (southern region) wanted this case to get over here; this was our desire. But circumstances did not permit; we don’t want to give a reason,” Chockalingam said.
The tribunal didn’t even open the committee’s report, Chockalingam said, adding it would forward all the documents related to the case, including the report, to the principal bench in New Delhi.
All the parties involved in the case, including Sterlite, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader V Gopalaswamy, expressed surprise and disappointment at today’s development. P Ramnath, chief executive of Sterlite Copper, said, “We were expecting a judgment. Now, we don’t have a choice but to fight in New Delhi; the plant will remain closed.”
Gopalaswamy said, “We are disappointed; we were confident the tribunal would pass an order to keep the factory shut.”
