Vedanta Sterlite Plant May Reopen As NGT sets aside TN govt order to close its Sterlite plant
New Delhi, Dec 15: The National Green Tribunal on Saturday set aside the Tamil Nadu government order for closure of mining company Vedanta Ltd's sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin, which was at the centre of massive protests over alleged pollution, saying it was "non sustainable" and "unjustified".
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson A K Goel asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to pass a fresh order of renewal of consent and authorisation to handle hazardous substances, subject to appropriate conditions for protection of environment in accordance with law within three weeks from Saturday.
The tribunal, which had reserved its verdict on December 10, allowed the appeal of the company challenging closure of its plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.
The green panel said the company should spend within three years Rs 100 crore on welfare of inhabitants of the area as it had offered to do. The bench also suggested that the company take steps for safeguarding environment, like creating a dedicated website where the stakeholders can lodge their environment related grievances.
"Since we have independently held the impugned orders to be non-sustainable and closure to be unjustifiable, only further question for consideration is whether suggestions of the Committee... should be accepted and, if so, to what extent, the bench said.
It said the company will also be entitled to restoration of electricity for its operations, subject to complying with various directions issued by the tribunal for the firm.
The Tamil Nadu government had, on May 28, ordered the state pollution control board to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.
Earlier in April, TNPCB had rejected Sterlite's plea to renew the 'Consent To Operate' certification, saying the company had not complied with the stipulated conditions.
At least 13 people were killed and several injured on May 22 when police had opened fire on a huge crowd of people protesting against environment pollution being allegedly caused by the factory.
The tribunal had earlier set up an independent committee to look into the allegations of environmental pollution by Vedanta-owned Sterlite copper factory.
The committee, headed by former Meghalaya High Court Chief Justice Tarun Agrawal, had said that no notice or opportunity of hearing was given to Vedanta before the closure of the plant.
The tribunal in its judgement said it does not find any merit in the objection raised on behalf of the state government or TNPCB that appointing of such a committee amounted to delegation of judicial functions.
"This tribunal is certainly entitled to ascertain facts on the ground by a fair and credible expert mechanism. Section 19 of the NGT Act is to the effect that the tribunal is not bound by procedure laid down by the CPC but is to be guided by the principles of natural justice. The tribunal can regulate its own procedure. It is not bound by rules of evidence under the Evidence Act," it said, adding that it does not see any reason not to look into the report of the committee.
The tribunal noted that during the earlier hearing, the company's counsel had made a statement that it was willing to spend a further amount of Rs 100 crores on welfare activities for inhabitants of the area as a goodwill measure.
The amount may be spent on projects like water supply, hospital and health services and skill development in the area, the counsel had said.
"We take the statement on record and in view of the said statement, we direct the appellant unit (company) to spend the amount of Rs 100 crore within a period of three year for welfare of the inhabitants in the area. The action plan prepared for utilisation of the amount be got approved from MoEF&CC which may also oversee the compliance thereof," the tribunal said. The bench also said the company may on "precautionary principle" take various steps in the larger interest of safeguarding environment.
The steps to be taken by the company include creating a dedicated and interactive website with participatory public forum wherein the affected stakeholders can lodge their environment related grievance for time bound redressal and disposal by the unit.
The website should be widely publicised and have links with the website of the district administration, TNPCB and CPCB which shall be the oversight body to monitor such public grievances and its timely disposal, the tribunal said.
The company should regularly monitor the ground water quality as mandated by TNPCB and upload the data in comprehensible form without fail on the website, it said.
The tribunal added that failure of timely analysis and uploading of the same shall result in appellant unit paying environmental compensation at the rate of Rs 10 lakh for every default with the District Legal Services which shall maintain a separate account for the same and supervise its spending in matters like environmental education and awareness.
"The appellant unit shall also deposit a sum of Rs 2.5 crores as a token amount for their failures for Extended Procedures Liability for inappropriate handling 3.5 lakhs M.T of Copper Slag on patta lands with the State Legal Services Authority for creating and maintaining the environmental awareness in the area through the District Legal Services Authority by preparing a comprehensive action plan," it said.
On August 9, the tribunal had allowed Vedanta to enter the administrative unit inside its sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
