On May 22, 2018, the Tamil Nadu police opened fire in Thoothukudi on a protest march in which thousands of people were participating, demanding the closure of the Sterlite Copper Plant in their area. At least 13 people have died in the firing, and hundreds injured. The police even gave hot pursuit and shot at women and others in fishing hamlets like Theresepuram.
The people who died are just ordinary people who have been forced to take to the streets, and march to the Collectorate to demand action from an administration that has systematically and for decades failed to enforce the law on Sterlite, and allowed it to violate environmental and land use planning laws with impunity for over two decades.
The District Collector, the chairperson and member secretary of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, the Secretaries holding the environment portfolios in the Central and State governments, the Ministers of Environment at the State and Centre, and the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu need to account for their inaction in the face of overwhelming evidence of illegalities, environmental harm and damage to public health.
Just two months ago, on March 24th 2018, there was a similar protest in which too tens of thousands of people had participated. This forced the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Rural Development Officer (RDO), to take groundwater samples from 7 locations within Sterlite factory premises and 8 from villages around the factory. The results revealed widespread and high levels of contamination in all 15 groundwater sources. Levels of the neurotoxin heavy metal lead, which is particularly toxic to children, were found to be between 4 and 55 times higher than levels considered safe for drinking water.
The company has been shut down many a times through court orders for violation of environmental safeguards, since 1998. At least 15 workers have died and many have been injured due to hazardous working conditions.In 2013, the Supreme Court of India too found the company guilty of misrepresentation, unlicensed operation and polluting the environment, but curiously allowed the company to operate after paying a small fine as it felt India needed the copper.
The company failed to reform its ways even after this narrow judicial escape. The regulators—TNPCB and Ministry of Environment and Forests—too continued their cosy relationship with Sterlite ignoring blatant violations of statutory conditions and clear indications of pollution.
The Government of Tamil Nadu has lost its moral right to govern, and should at the very least ensure that the senior ministers who failed to read the signs properly and take preventive action resign. But before anything else, the Government of Tamil Nadu should have the decency to declare an end to the toxic terrorism unleashed by Sterlite and permanently close down the polluting unit.
We also demand of the Govt. of TN immediate disbursement of at least Rs. 1 crore compensation to the families of each of the deceased persons, Rs. 50 lakhs to each of the severely injured persons and a permanent government job to at least one member in the family of each of the deceased.
Sd/ by over 100 activists from all over the country.
