Investments of Rs. 1,240 crore are likely

Southern districts will take the lion’s share of new solar power plants to be set up under the State’s Solar Energy Policy. Of the plants approved for 209 megawatt (MW), the south will have 155 MW, of which Ramanathapuram district alone accounts for 97 MW, Tuticorin 33, Sivaganga 17 and Virudhunagar 8.

The National Green Tribunal, New Delhi, on Wednesday declined to grant any interim relief to Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd to reopen its copper smelter plant in Tuticorin. The unit was closed on March 29 following complaints of excessive emission of sulphur dioxide.

However, the NGT, after perusing the Expert Committee’s report, stated, “It appears that the stack and ambient air quality are within the permissible limits.”

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday refused to grant any interim relief to UK-based Vedanta Group company, Sterlite Industries Ltd, to commence operation of its copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district.

A bench headed by (NGT) Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said even though the expert committee report said the emission and ambient air quality were within prescribed limits, there is no “justification” for allowing the plant to start operating as there were claims of gas leakage from the industrial unit.

The technology is used for laying “all-weather roads”

From October 4, 2002, when the first ‘plastic road’ was laid on Lenin Street, Kovilpatti in Tuticorin district, the technology of using waste plastic with stone for laying roads has come a long way. Developed by the Department of Chemistry of Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, in 2001 and patented in 2002, the technology has been literally going places. It is now used in several other States, including Kerala, West Bengal and Himachal Pradesh, to lay “all-weather” roads.

In a dramatic turn of events, the National Green Tribunal (southern region) has decided to transfer the ongoing Sterlite Industries (copper plant) imbroglio to National Green Tribunal in New Delhi, citing “circumstances did not permit us” to hear the case further in Chennai.

The tribunal, which was supposed to announce a decision on an inspection report filed by a team of four on the alleged poisonous gas leakage on Monday, has decided to transfer the case to the principal tribunal in Delhi due to unavoidable circumstances, sources pointed out.

They say people of Tuticorin have been bearing brunt of emission

The south bench of the National Green Tribunal ordered the constitution of a two-member expert committee to inspect Sterlite Industries's controversial copper plant in Tuticorin, which was closed a

People complained of eye irritation, constant cough: Minister

Emission of sulphur dioxide from the Sterlite factory in Tuticorin above the permissible level led to people complaining about the plant, Environment Minister M.C. Sampath told the Assembly on Tuesday.
Replying to a calling attention motion, the Minister said continuous monitoring of sulphur dioxide by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had clearly proved increased emission of gas from the plant on March 23, 2013.

The National Green Tribunal has ordered the constitution of an expert committee to inspect Sterlite Copper smelting unit in Tuticorin.

NGT pulls up District Collector for not filing his counter

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) on Tuesday submitted before the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, here that Sterlite Industries’ copper smelter plant was not fit for operation and should not be permitted to commence operations in view of numerous incidents of excessive emissions sulphur-dioxide.