TN agency cancels land allotted to Sterlite for expansion
Chennai, May 29 : In a second successive blow to Vedanta Ltd, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Ltd (SIPCOT) on Tuesday cancelled in "larger public interest" the land allotted in Thoothukudi for the expansion of Sterlite Copper's smelting plant.
In its letter to Vedanta, the SIPCOT cited the public protests against the plant's expansion on grounds of increased pollution and expressed concerns over pollution caused by the first smelter plant.
The government agency said the price of 342.22 acres deposited will be refunded as per the norms. On Monday, the government issued orders to close Vedanta's first copper smelter unit, whose capacity is 400,000 tonnes per annum.
The closure order came after a total of 13 persons were killed in police firing on May 22 and the next day in protests in Thoothukudi against the continued functioning of the unit.
In November 2017, Vedanta said its board approved the expansion of its copper smelter to 800,000 TPA with a capex of $717 million, of which $141 million had already been spent.
The company claimed that after completion the project will make Thoothukudi as one of the world's largest single-location copper smelting complexes.
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316 domestic LPG cylinders used for commercial purposes seized in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Department said on Saturday that authorities have seized 316 domestic LPG cylinders allegedly being used for commercial purposes across the state and registered cases against those involved.
Also, a case has been registered against a gas agency which was illegally refilling gas cylinders.
"Following the minister's (K H Muniyappa) instructions to take appropriate legal action if domestic cylinders are used for commercial purposes, cases have been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and seizures have been made across the state, including 45 in Peenya and 209 in Chikkajala of Bengaluru, 3 in Shivamogga district, 46 in Davanagere and 13 in Yadgir district," the department said in a release.
Similarly, a case has been registered against a gas agency shop in KGF, Kolar district, which was conducting illegal refilling of gas cylinders, it said.
As per the central government guidelines, 20 per cent of the total commercial cylinders will be distributed to hospitals, schools, educational institutions, airports, railway stations, bus stands, canteens, important temples for distribution of prasad, government offices, old age homes, and important private sector offices on priority, the department said.
Further, it said that a total of 3,86,363 domestic cylinders (14.2 kg) and 6,371 commercial cylinders have been distributed across the state today. Steps have been taken to ensure that there is no problem with the supply of domestic cylinders, it added.
