Tuticorin Protests: Madras High Court Stays Sterlite's Expansion Plan, Halts Setup of New Copper Smelter
Locals and activists have launched a massive agitation, alleging "irreparable damage" to ground water resources if Sterlite is given the green nod to double its production.
Chennai, May 23: The Madurai bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday stayed the expansion plan of Sterlite Industries - the majority owned subsidiary of UK-based Vedanta - indulging in copper smelting in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin.
The court's ruling came in the backdrop of the agitation launched by the locals and civic activists, alleging "irreparable damage" to ground water resources if Sterlite is given the green nod to double its production.
At present, the company smelts 4,00,000 tonnes of copper per year. If the new construction had been approved, the output would had escalated to 8,00,000 tonnes per year.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a report from the Tamil Nadu government on the death of 11 anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin on Tuesday.
The turmoil continued on Wednesday as leaders from the Opposition made their way to Tuticorin, also referred to as Thoothukudi, to stage a demonstration against Vedanta Sterlite and the state government.
One of the demonstrations is being led by actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan, along with the cadres of his political party Makkal Niedhi Maiam.
The DMK has also launched protests in Tuticorin, as well as the state capital Chennai, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami.
DMK's de-facto chief MK Stalin said the AIADMK government should be held responsible for the deaths of 11 anti-Sterlite protesters yesterday.
"Who ordered the police firing on protestors? Why were automatic weapons used to disperse the crowd and under what law is this permitted? Why were rubber/ plastic bullets or other means not used to avoid fatal injuries? Why was no warning given before firing," Stalin asked on Twitter.
Apart from Stalin, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss also pressed for the resignation of Palaniswami, saying the AIADMK government has "blood on its hands".
Congress president Rahul Gandhi accused the Palaniswamy government of working on the "behest of BJP-RSS". "They want to murder your ideology. But people of Tamil Nadu will not allow RSS to prevail over them. Brothers and sisters, we are with you in this fight," he said on social media in a message posted in Tamil.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2018 11:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).