Day after Tamil Nadu govt orders Sterlite plant closure in Tuticorin, DMK calls for adjournment motion in Assembly

Following last week's violent protests over Sterlite plant in Tuticorin (also called Thoothukudi) which claimed 13 lives, DMK called for an adjournment motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

Before the start of the Assembly session on Tuesday, DMK leader MK Stalin with party MLAs in tow staged protest outside the Assembly structure by wearing black clothes. The Tamil Nadu government is likely to come under intense fire by the Opposition parties over the Tuticorin incidents.

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Meanwhile, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) land allotted by the state government to Vedanta's Sterlite copper smelter plant, for the phase 2 of its project, has been cancelled.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam chief TTV Dhinakaran said that he will also raise the Sterlite issue in the Assembly. "People have no confidence in him. The shutdown of the plant is only a temporary relief," he said.  He said that the state government should not "behave like how they behaved in the Cauvery issue".

The DMK has expressed that it is protesting over the delay in action by the Tamil Nadu government for the closure of the plant.

On Monday, the Tamil Nadu government ordered the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to seal and "permanently" close the copper plant in Tuticorin.

Soon after the issuance of the government order, top Tuticorin district officials sealed the unit premises and pasted the order at the main gate. Chief Minister EK Palaniswami told reporters in Chennai the "plant has been permanently closed".

File image of DMK leader MK Stalin. PTI

Reacting to the closure, Vedanta termed it "unfortunate" and said it would decide the future course of action after studying the development.contro

"Closure of Sterlite Copper plant is an unfortunate development, especially since, we have operated the plant for over 22 years in most transparent and sustainable way, contributing to the Tuticorin and state's socio-economic development. We will study the development and decide on the future course of action," Vedanta said in a statement.

Palaniswami said the government has issued the GO in deference to the sentiments of the people.

The chief minister also said that peace had returned to the town and and people should cooperate with the government. "Their demand has been fulfilled by Amma's government," he had said.

Palaniswami said people of Tuticorin were seeking permanent closure of the plant since it did not meet the environment related conditions of the National Green Tribunal and the TNPCB.

Protesters turned violent on 22 May, the 100th day of their stir, and 13 people were killed in police
firing last Tuesday and Wednesday. Justifying the firing, Palaniswami had then said that the police had to take action "under unavoidable circumstances to protect public life and property as the protesters resorted to repeated violence... police had to control the violence".

With inputs from PTI