Comments
Sterlite Copper, the four-lakh-tonne-a-year smelter, will ramp up to full capacity a week after it starts production, according to P. Ramnath, CEO, Sterlite.
Reacting to the National Green Tribunal’s interim order permitting the four-lakh-tonne-a-year plant at Tuticorin to restart under the supervision of an expert committee, he said it is a significant relief to the company and its customers.
With nearly half the country’s copper smelting capacity out of production for two months supplies had been tight. The expert committee will visit the plant in a week’s time, in line with the Tribunal order. Once the plant operates for a month, the expert committee will submit its report, after which the final orders are expected.
The unit was closed by an order of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board on March 29, after complaints of severe eye and throat irritation from the public and allegations of excessive emissions.
The company had appealed to the Southern Bench of the Tribunal, which constituted a two-member expert committee in April to assess the factory’s emission safety systems.
However, when the panel submitted its report on April 29, the case was shifted to the Principal Bench in New Delhi on the request of the Southern Bench which, without specifying reasons, said it was not inclined to hear the case.
balaji.ar@thehindu.co.in
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.