The government in India's Tamil Nadu state plans to take steps to permanently shut down a copper smelting plant that was the centre of protests that have led to 13 deaths, the state's deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said on Monday.
Local people and environmental activists claim that emissions from the plant, owned by a subsidiary of metals and mining conglomerate Vedanta Group, in the port town of Tuticorin, also known as Thoothukudi, have polluted the air and water and led to severe health problems.
Eleven people were killed and more than 40 injured last week when police fired at protesters who turned violent while holding a rally in Tuticorin to demand the permanent closure of the plant.
Two injured persons later died in hospital, taking the death toll to 13, according to police.
Sterlite Limited's copper plant has not operated since April after pollution control authorities refused it clearance and asked for more information on its emission control measures.
‘The government will take all steps to permanently shut down the plant,’ Panneerselvam told reporters, after visiting hospitals in Tuticorin where the injured from Tuesday's protest are being treated.
Vedanta has refuted charges of pollution from its plant. ‘I'm ready to have an independent agency to look at it. I will completely abide by the law of the land ... I am very confident that we have zero discharge [from the plant],’ Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal was quoted as saying by The Economic Times newspaper.
