Green panel posts hearing on Friday on Sterlite's petition

CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal has allowed MDMK leader Vaiko and two others to implead themselves in a petition filed by Sterlite Industries Ltd, a subsidiary of mining giant Vedanta, challenging the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's order to close the unit. The southern bench, headed by Judge M Chokkalingam and technical member U Nagendran, posted hearing in the case to Friday. The respondents, who would be impleading in the case, along with Tuticorin district collector, were directed to file counters the same day.

The crisis-ridden plant in Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu got relief from the Supreme Court last week when it ordered Sterlite Industries to pay Rs 100 crore as compensation for environmental damage in the unit’s environ. The court did not uphold closure of the plant.

The Green bench judge Chokkalingam took objections to certain remarks made by the district collector regarding permanent closure of the unit. The collector also did not file the counter and sought time. "He does what he shouldn't and doesn't, what he should," the judge said. "When the matter is pending before the courts of law, the collector has made unwarranted remarks to the press."

In his petition, Vaiko said the appeal by Sterlite challenging the PCB’s closure order was not maintainable and liable to be rejected. "The petitioner did not file any appeal before the Appellate Authority. The Green Tribunal is vested with jurisdiction to entertain any appeals only against the order passed by Appellate authority," the petition said. Vaiko also submitted the analysis data on emission levels by Mark L Chernaik, staff scientist with the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, Oregon, USA, to support his case.