Sterlite Industries (India) Limited on Saturday said it had been operating its copper smelter in Tuticorin for the last 17 years with requisite approvals and consent issued by regulatory authorities.
According to a statement from the company, its plant adheres to the highest standards of environment, health and safety practices, benchmarked to international standards.
The plant has undergone continuous upgrading of technology over the years, including the implementation of numerous environmental measures based on the recommendations of TNPCB, NEERI and CPCB in the last two years.
Sterlite said that in response to a few public complaints of emission on March 23, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board carried out a preliminary inspection. It provided to TNPCB all technical details of the operations.
“All parameters and key readings of the particular period of March 23 were well within the permissible range. The District Administration also issued a press note confirming that no case of illness was reported on account of alleged emission, based on a report by District Health officials,” it said.
‘Will cooperate’
As the parameters were found within permissible levels and there were no cases of illness, the company believed that this should have been the subject matter of detailed technical evaluation by TNPCB. “However, TNPCB has ordered closure of the plant. We will engage with TNPCB to explain the factual position and are committed to cooperate fully with the authorities in this regard, in order to be able to restart operations,” the statement said.
