In a statement which may not sound ‘musically’ to the ears of thousands of Tuticorin citizens and other environmental activists, Ramnath, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Tuticorin-based Sterlite Industries (run by Vedanta Groupa) has assured that the plant would be back to operational mode in two months’ time from now.
 
It may be recalled that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had, a few days back, cleared the decks for the plant’s re-opening by scrapping the closure of the plant imposed by the State Government following widespread protests for many days held in Tuticorin and its surroundings and in other parts of the State a few months back.
 
Speaking to newsmen in Chennai, Ramnath said that though a specific date hasn’t yet been finalized, the plant would go operational within two months from now.  The plant’s existence was objected to locals as the copper-manufacturing Unit caused several environmental and health-related hazards to citizens of not only the Port City but the surrounding localities as well.
 
“The NGT set up a committee to go into complaints against us and the committee’s findings have literally absolved us.  Checks had been going on for the past 22 years; we would ensure that even the industrial waste let out by the plant doesn’t harm the locals or others,” Ramnath concluded, sounding confident.