No immediate power, water to Sterlite: Collector

Security has been strengthened on Saturday, in the wake of NGT’s order permitting Vedanta group’s copper plant (Sterlite Copper unit), reopening.

Inspector General of Police (South Zone) KP Shanmuga Rajeswaran said to ensure peace and tranquility in Thoothukudi, police personnel, who have been mobilised, were put on alert. 

At the same time, the Department of Police was neither supportive nor against the unit, but it’s our duty to maintain law, and order, he clarified. On the arrest of two persons in Thoothukudi recently, the IG said they were held on charges of instigating violence.

Police force has been deployed adequately at the entrance of Sterlite unit in the Sipcot area of Thoothukudi. Villages including A Kumareddiyapuram, Therkku Veerapandiyapuram and Pamdarampatti, which are located surrounding the unit, were under tight vigilance of the security forces.

Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police, Murali Rambha, said as many as 800 police personnel had been deployed in Thoothukudi, which has come under their watchful eyes. Moreover, awareness to remain aloof from strange and anti- social elements, is being spread through public address systems at several locations.

Besides, the movement of people is being monitored by the police personnel and also through CCTV surveillance cameras at 48 locations. Personnel were also on alert at eight check post locations.

Seeking cooperation from the public, the Department of Police has introduced phone numbers -0461 -2340650 and ‘95141 44100’ to share information on any identification of anti-social elements, who could try and instigate common people to jump into protest against the unit, unnecessarily. However, people could express their protest in a democratic manner and not forced by other elements, the SP added.

Soon after the NGT order to reopen the Sterlite unit in Thoothukudi, an uneasy calm engulfed many parts of the district on Saturday. 

While people gathered in groups in various pockets and discussed the repercussions of the order, several others kept the phone traffic busy by sharing information via WhatsApp and other applications.

A majority of the Thoothukudi’s community appeared to be miffed at the NGT’s permission to reopen Vedanta’s copper unit M Krishnamurthy, an anti-Sterlite protester, said it was unfortunate that the closed Sterlite unit has been allowed to resume production. The NGT has no powers to pass such an order, he added.

He said further protests would in the form of hunger strikes. Since permission for organising hunger strike was denied by the district police office, a writ petition was filed before the Madurai Bench and Madras High Court, which is likely to come up for hearing on Monday.

Against the backdrop of an outbreak of violence in Thoothukudi following the killing of 13 persons during the anti-Sterlite rally in May this year, he said protests need to be carefully organised.

Further, Krishnamurthy charged the state government of staging a drama as if it was concerned about the interests of Thoothukudi people, but in reality acting in favour of the Sterlite.

Despite insisting the government on enacting a special act in the Assembly session for Sterlite’s permanent closure, it did nothing. At least, by this time, the state government should enact the special act before approaching the Supreme Court against the NGT’s order.

However, VP Jeyakumar, state vice president, Hindu Munnani, in a statement, welcomed the NGT’s order citing that it would provide jobs and ensure livelihood support for thousands of people relying on the Sterlite. 

Simultaneously, he appealed to the unit to ensure safe and healthy environment in the interest of local people and also sought the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board authorities to keenly monitor the operations of the unit.

Most of the fishermen and boat owners were totally against functioning of the unit and the NGT’s order was condemnable, said S Joe Boy, former secretary, Thoothukudi Mechanized Fishing Boat Owners’ Association.

Moreover, representatives of Thoothukudi Central Merchant’s Association approached the SP and sought his permission for convening meeting among its trade body members on Saturday evening to decide on the next phase of protests, A Senthil Arumugam, joint secretary of the association, said.