Political parties and activists oppose Sterlite's plea to produce oxygen

MDMK chief Vaiko warned against any move to allow the company to get access to its plant

Sterlite Copper's request to reopen its now closed down smelter in Thoothukudi to produce oxygen at its two oxygen manufacturing units in its massive premises has activists and political parties up in arms yet again.

MDMK chief Vaiko, who had argued against reopening of the plant before the Supreme Court after it was closed down by Tamil Nadu government in 2011, warned against any move to allow the company to get access to its plant located on the outskirts of Thoothukudi.

“There is no need for additional production of oxygen as the government of India says there is no shortage of oxygen. It has been mentioned that the problem is only in transportation of oxygen from one place to another on time. Since there is no shortage, Sterlite should not be allowed access to the plant,” Vaiko said in a statement.

Nityanand Jayaraman, one of the environmental activist who was at the forefront of the anti-Sterlite agitation, said the Vedanta-owned company was attempting at a back-door entry to get access to its plants. Sterlite Copper wrote to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan promising to produce 1,000 tons of oxygen a day and also moved the Supreme Court.

“It is one thing to divert industrial oxygen from well-running, licensed plants. It is quite another to entertain a petition from an environmental offender to permit reopening and access of a facility sealed for violating safety/environmental norms. Allowing Vedanta to reopen its Thoothukudi smelter would be akin to allowing Union Carbide to reopen the Bhopal plant on some pretext or other,” he said.

Jayaraman said the Thoothukudi smelter is currently under lock-and-seal and in custody of District Collector. “Maintenance is the state’s responsibility. If there is demonstrated need for O2, Govt of TN can meet it by contracting personnel to operate plant. Vedanta cant be allowed back-door entry, bypassing its pending appeal in SC. This is Disaster Capitalism at its sinister worst,” he said.

Sterlite Copper was closed down by the Tamil Nadu government in 2018 following months of protests by locals and activists which was overturned by the National Green Tribunal the same year. The state government approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the NGT order.

The apex court stayed the order of the NGT and allowed Sterlite Copper to approach the Madras High Court, which upheld the government order. The case is now in the Supreme Court with Sterlite Copper challenging the Madras High Court verdict. The company's plea to access to the plant for maintenance purpose has not been entertained by the court so far.