26.08.2011
Soibam Rocky Singh
Lawetal News
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu state government and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to submit before the court a detailed synopsis indicating the suggestions and measures to be taken up by Sterlite Industries to fulfill compliance with the environmental standards.
A bench of Justice RV Raveendran and Justice AK Patnaik directed the Tamil Nadu government and TNPCB to file a detailed report with specific instruction suggesting the measures to be taken by Sterlite to fulfill the environmental norms.
The court while refusing to entertain the Tuticorin Collector?s report on ground situation in the region directed the counsel appearing for the state to specifically file a report suggesting measures to be followed by Sterlite to fulfill environmental norms. The bench said that it will direct Sterlite industries to follow certain measures based on the suggestion given by the report. The state government can thereafter examine whether the court direction are being complied, it was observed.
The direction of the court came over a petition filed by Sterlite Industry against the Madras High Court order directing closure of the unit on account of non-compliance with the environmental standards.
The Apex Court had put an interim stay on the High Court order directing closure of Sterlite Industries? copper smelting plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, however it had also directed Sterlite to take all remedial measures suggested by Central Pollution control Board and Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
Earlier Madras High Court had held that the Copper smelting plant of Sterlite Industries (a group company of UK based Vedanta Group) had failed to develop a green belt of 250 metre around the plant which was mandatory as it fell within 25 km of an “ecologically fragile area”.