The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) recently rejected the renewal of consent to operate the Sterlite Copper Smelter unit belonging to Vedanta Ltd, following protests against the company’s expansion plans in Tuticorin.
According to the state government statement, the TNPCB rejected the renewal of consent to operate the first unit of the Sterlite Copper smelter unit in Tuticorin, as the establishment did not fulfill the conditions laid down by it.
Most vocal about the issue, actor-politician Kamal Haasan took to Twitter to show his support and hailed the decision as “a great step in the right direction.”
Congrats, Tamilnadu pollution control board. The non renewal of Consent to Operate for existing plant of Sterlite is a step in the right direction but we have miles to go. The people of Tamizh Nadu have joined you in maintaining vigil.
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 10, 2018
Residents of Tuticorin, environmentalists, politicians, celebrities including stars-aspiring politicians have spoken out against the expansion of Vedanta Sterlite’s copper smelter in Tuticorin as it would add to the pollution levels and contaminate the Kumarareddiapuram village in Thoothukudi to hazardous levels. The protests have been going on for the past two months.
Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth, along with various other numbers of celebrities from Kollywood, have shown their support to the protests. Last Sunday, Kollywood Film Artistes Association (Nadigar Sangam) held a joint protest to support the agitation against Sterlite and also over the ongoing Cauvery Management Board issue.
Kamal Haasan had even visited Kumarareddiapuram village in Tuticorin district to express solidarity with those protesting against Sterlite and its proposed unit in the region. The founder of Makkal Needhi Maiam told the protesters: “The lives of people are more important than the money from copper.”
The Pollution Control Board will hear out the complaints from the residents living around the plant and also check for air quality.
