The Govt. of Tamil Nadu took the much-needed initiative, albeit very late, in resolving the grievances of people of Tuticorin District who have been protesting against the continued functioning of Sterlite Industries when it refused to entertain the latter’s application for renewal of CTO (consent to operate) form citing deviation from norms set by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).

Vedanta Group’s Sterlite Industries has been operating at Meelavittan Village in the District. People from more than 10 neighbouring villages have been protesting hard for more than two months demanding immediate closing down of the plant in view of the environmental hazards it posed and also because of the depleting ground-water level at an alarming rate caused by the plant’s operation.

Women and children and even school-going children have been protesting hard with people displaying amazing determination to stay there by cooking and sleeping in the open till their demands are met. Tamil Nadu chief-minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami has announced on his official Twitter page that the Industries’ application for CTO has been rejected by the TNPCB.

“Application (for consent) of Vedanta group has been rejected by the TNPCB through its order dated 09th April as the Company had failed to comply with the conditions laid down by the Board,” the chief-minister’s tweet said.  With this, the company’s bid to continue to operate beyond March 31 has been stalled.