Thoothukudi District Collector forms committee to remove hazardous waste from Sterlite Copper plant

A new committee was formed by the Collector to identify experienced vendors for executing the evacuation works after public questioned the rationale for letting Vedanta take it up.

Published: 02nd June 2023 08:28 PM | Last Updated: 02nd June 2023 08:32 PM | A+A A-

A view of Vedanta's Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi. (File photo)

THOOTHUKUDI: The District Collector of Thoothukudi, Dr K Senthil Raj, on May 29, turned down Vedanta's request to conduct a civil and structural safety integrity assessment study on the premises of the now-defunct Sterlite Copper smelter plant.

The district administration also turned down the company's request to transport spares and equipment and evacuate in-process reverts and raw materials lying idle on the premises, until final orders.

A new committee formed recently has been entrusted to identify and approve the vendors having due experience for executing the evacuation works. Additionally, the public can examine the CCTV and log book maintained in the control room of the Collector's office, with due permission.

The district administration had constituted a local management committee to outsource the evacuation of gypsum, the SLF (Secured Landfill Facility) leachate collection sump pump operations, and the SLF -4 bund rectification while maintaining the status quo on maintenance of the green belt and clearing of wild bushes and dried trees, under the supervision of the BDO (Block Development Officer) of Ottapidaram union.

The committee was formed after 13 people were killed and several others were injured in police firing on May 22, 2018, at people protesting against the environmental hazards caused by the factory.

The nine-member committee under the chairmanship of the Collector comprises Thoothukudi Rural DSP, Joint Director of Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health, the District Environmental Engineer of TNPCB, the District Fire officer, the Executive Engineer (Planning) of Thoothukudi Municipal Corporation, BDO of Ottapidaram union, administrative and technical representatives of Vedanta.

The plant has been shut down for flouting TNPCB (Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board) norms and for permitting the removal of the spares and equipment. In-process reverts and raw materials lying idle on the premises may jeopardize the whole process of rendering justice, the Collector noted.

Previously, Vedanta's Sterlite Copper authorities removed over 14 different hazardous materials between June 30, 2018, and April 25, 2022, under the supervision of a local-level monitoring committee headed by the Collector.

This raised concerns as the process of removal of hazardous material was delayed. The public questioned the rationale behind allowing the same company indicted for pollution and flouting TNPCB norms, to handle the evacuation process.

Meanwhile, after communication with the Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department, the Collector remarked that there is no habitation near the plant prone to any danger in case of structural collapse.

However, he did not rule out the risks associated with the heavy machinery and structures being inoperative for the past five years.

The Collector suggested that the reassessment shall be considered after the final orders of the Supreme Court which is scheduled to give the final verdict by August 2023.

In a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, the Collector stated that allowing gypsum evacuation, SLF leachate pumping, SLF-4 bund repair, and green belt maintenance are of paramount importance and that they have to be executed before the monsoon to avoid further environmental degradation.

An environmentalist attached to the 'Poovulagin Nanbargal' movement, Sundar Raj, welcomed the state government's decision to remove the remnant materials through vendors rather than the Sterlite authorities. He thanked the Chief Minister, Environment Minister, Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi and the District Collector for accepting the demands of the public.