Feeble signs of calm in Thoothukudi; shops, hotels remain closed

The city started calming down on Thursday after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced the closure of the plant and the State Pollution Control Board ordered snapping power supply to it

S Vasantha has been trying to buy sugar tablets for the last four days. First, the chemist was closed, when it reopened the ATM had run out of money. Like Vasantha, life for residents of Thoothukudi has been thrown completely out of gear as the busy streets of the city, renowned for its pearl fishing, remained deserted on Friday.

In the market road, most shops were closed for the fourth day after 13 people were killed in police firing during protests against environmental degradation by the Sterlite Copper plant in the city. The company denies the charge.

Though the Madras High Court