Sterlite Copper supporters urge government to immediately form experts committee as suggested by SC

Supreme Court favors reopening of Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, urging Tamil Nadu Government to form expert committee.

As the Supreme Court has favoured the formation of an experts committee to suggest remedial measures if any and explore the possibilities of re-opening the sealed Sterlite Copper plant here, the Tamil Nadu Government should form the committee at the earliest so that the re-opening of the plant will enliven a few thousand families, the supporters have said.

In a petition submitted by the supporters of Sterlite Copper from villages situated around the factory, contractors, lorry owners, contract labourers, fishermen and Thoothukudi Livelihood Movement, they said the Supreme Court, while hearing the plea on reopening the copper manufacturing unit that remained closed since May 2018, had suggested that an expert committee could be formed for exploring the possibilities of reopening the plant considering the national interest. The Judges had also observed that a nationally-important asset could not be crippled for the vested interest of a few.

The Supreme Court’s interest in ensuring the re-opening of Sterlite Copper had revived the hopes of thousands of people, whose livelihood was taken care of by the copper manufacturing unit through the jobs it was offering to the contractors, small, tiny and medium fabrication units, lorry owners, drivers, cleaners, contract labourers, traders of Thoothukudi and the villagers whose living conditions were improved through various livelihood programmes.

Hence, the Tamil Nadu Government should immediately form the experts committee as suggested by the Supreme Court to execute the recommendations of the committee for ensuring the early reopening of the plant, the petitioners said.

A group of BJP functionaries submitted a petition seeking the restoration of the Kaalaankarai Road which was washed away in the flood caused by the breach in Korampallam Tank in December last. The petitioners said the Kaalaankarai Road, which was washed away for about 500 meters, was re-laid for resuming traffic. However, the huge crater on the road had forced the officials to suspend the operation of the buses via this road leaving the public, especially the students going to their schools and the colleges in trouble.

Hence, the road should be repaired immediately to resume the vehicular traffic. Moreover, the construction of the culvert damaged in the flood near Anthoniyarpuram should also be repaired on an early note, they said.

A group of Hindu Makkal Katchi members submitted a petition appealing to the Tamil Nadu Government to take over the schools and other properties being administered by the Thoothukudi – Nazareth CSI Diocese which was witnessing clashes due to “mismanagement and corruption charges.”