Sterlite Industries India Ltd.

Sterlite Industries India Ltd. is a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources plc, a diversified and integrated metals and mining group with principal operations located in India and Australia. It is a non ferrous metals producer in Tuticorin since 1996. It ranks second in India and fourteenth in the world for phosphoric acid production and third in India for sulphuric acid production. The company engages primarily in the production of copper in Tuticorin, India. Its products include copper cathodes; cast copper rods, used in the transformer industry, and rods used by the wires and cables industry with applications in housing wires, electrical cables, and telecom cables. It markets its copper products directly to original equipment manufacturers and traders. The company is based in Mumbai, India. Sterlite is India's largest non-ferrous metals and mining company. Sterlite is listed on BSE, NSE and NYSE. It was the first Indian Metals & Mining Company to list on the New York Stock Exchange. Sterlites principal operating companies comprise Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) for its fully integrated zinc and lead operations; Sterlite Industries India Limited (Sterlite) and Copper Mines of Tasmania Pty Limited (CMT) for its copper operations in India/Australia; and Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), for its aluminium and alumina operations and Sterlite Energy for its commercial power generation business.

Issue
Sterlite Industries India Ltd (SIIL) is a part of the London-based Vedanta Resources Plc, and is a leading manufacturer of copper in India. The company operates a 300,000 tonne per annum copper smelter, refinery and copper rod manufacturing plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. Tuticorin is a coastal town with a population of about 2,00,000 in 1991. The plant site is less than 15 km from the Gulf of Manner Marine Biosphere Reserve, home to more than 150 species of coral, the dugong, sea grass beds, pearl oysters and rich fisheries. The plant came up in area Tuticorin despite opposition by local residents. SIIL was originally set up on 156 hectare (386 acre) of land. More than 250,000 people live within 7 km of the plant. The Sterlite plant, located in the Sipcot industrial complex in Tuticorin, is 2km from the nearest village, Meelavittan. Sterlite has been operating a copper smelter in the area since 1995-96, producing 400,000 tonnes of copper per year and contributing significantly to the countrys production of the metal. The plant employs 4,000 and supports thousands more jobs indirectly. But since opening in 1996 it has split this coastal city between residents who say it is crucial for the local economy and farmers and fishermen who see it as a health hazard. The Madras High Court ordered closing down of Sterlite Industries in September 28th, 2010. Problems like breathing difficulty, vomiting and eye irritation were complained by the nearby villagers on March 23, 2013 which leads to the suspicion of a sulphur dioxide leak from the copper plant. On March 24th the tuticorin district collector started with a preliminary investigation by collecting the effluent emission from all factories.

Tamil Nadu state's Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said Sterlite released 2,941.12 milligrams per cubic meter of Sulphur dioxide which is more than twice the government limit. So the pollution board ordered the plant to close until further notice and Sterlite was asked to pay a compensation of Rs 100 Crore ($18.4 million) by the supreme court for polluting water, soil, and air around the plant.

Reasons
The non-compliance with rules and regulations such as The unit has not provided adequate infrastructure and facilities for managing the wastes. Several thousand tonnes of arsenic-containing slag is dumped in the factory premises. There is a mountain of phosphor-gypsum. Could become airborne and cause respiratory diseases. There are unresolved issues relating to the hazardous nature of arsenic-bearing wastes that were earlier contained in an inadequately designed hazardous waste landfill.

Actions taken
The National Green Tribunal permitted Sterlite Industries to carry on its activities at Tuticorin, subject to certain directions.

Sterlite factory should function as per the recommendations and suggestions given by the expert committee. Compliance should be ensured within eight weeks of the present judgment. This committee will also devise around 20 rules which will have to be followed by the nonferrous metal manufacturer. The authorities had to set up a the committees which will conduct inspections at this plant. The tribunal also directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to take notice of the report submitted by the special expert committee while dealing with the company's application for renewal of license. Sterlite in a statement said "it shall implement all recommendations laid down by NGT-appointed expert committee in a time-bound manner and will work closely with the regulatory authorities and government to ensure the highest environmental standards in its operations.

References
http://www.rediff.com/money/slide-show/slide-show-1-special-how-sterlite-copper-plantpolluted-tuticorin/20130409.htm#6 http://www.firstpost.com/business/sterlite-finally-gets-green-tribunals-nod-to-continue-ops-attuticorin-plant-1022283.html http://www.sulphuric-acid.com/sulphuric-acid-on-theweb/acid%20plants/Sterlite%20Industries%20-%20Tuticorin.htm http://www.indianexpress.com/news/supreme-court-orders-sterlite-industries-to-pay-rs-100-crorefor-polluting-environment/1096568/