The National Green Tribunal has declined to alter its interim order allowing operations at the copper smelter unit at Tuticorin of Sterlite Industries.
The Tribunal took into account the findings of the report submitted by a Special Expert Committee on July 10 while refusing to alter its interim order given some time in May this year.
The Tribunal observed that the special expert committee’s report did not indicate that the “appellant company of being a pollutant or prudent polluter or otherwise’’.
“The special expert committee has made certain recommendations to further improve the working of the plant,” the Tribunal said.
The counsel for the company had undertaken to comply with the recommendations within a time-bound schedule, it pointed out. “Since the appellant company is neither an existing pollutant nor is a threat of future pollution (not violating prescribed standards) resulting in health hazards, we see no reason to vary our interim order of May 31. The order shall continue till pronouncement of the judgment,” the Tribunal headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said in its order.
