National Green Tribunal (NGT) refused to grant any interim relief to Sterlite Industries to restart operations of its copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin district. A bench headed by (NGT) chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, ruled out any relief stating there was 'no justification' for allowing the plant to start operating as there were claims of gas leakage from the industrial unit, even as the expert committee report said the emission and ambient air quality were within prescribed limits.
Late in March, state-run Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) ordered the closure of the copper smelter located in the southern Indian town of Tuticorin, after sulphur dioxide allegedly leaked from the plant on March 23 and affected a large number of residents of Tuticorin.
The NGT will now hear arguments on maintainability of the plea on May 14 and has directed its registry to provide copies of the expert panel's report to all the parties.
