The Anti-Sterlite Thoothukudi People’s Movement on Monday said the State government must take over the entire Sterlite Copper premises, dismantle the copper smelter unit and “other harmful units” there and “then start operating the oxygen plant under its control”.
Warning of intensified protests if the oxygen production is used for backroom revival of operations of the copper smelter unit, Krishnamurthy, a representative of the movement, said,
“If it is opened again, the people will uproot it completely through their revolution.” The anti-Sterlite movement was an organic one and not dependent on political support, he said.
The police arrested 10 members of the movement after they attempted to stage a dharna in front of the Collectorate in the afternoon, following the government-convened all-party meeting’s resolution to temporarily allow the oxygen plant on the Sterlite premises to operate to meet oxygen needs of COVID-19 patients.
They were taken to a marriage hall by the police. “They will be released only if they give an undertaking that they will not indulge in any protest in the future. If not, they will be remanded in judicial custody,” a police officer said.
In the morning, the members, led by Mr. Krishnamurthy, submitted a petition at the Collector’s Office.
Mr. Krishnamurthy alleged that Sterlite, with an ulterior motive to reopen its closed copper smelter, had proposed to produce oxygen in the guise of helping COVID-19 patients.
Even though the public had vociferously opposed the move during the public hearing, the Union Government was keen on giving it permission to reopen, he said.
He suggested that Vedanta could produce oxgen in its metal companies based in Korba in Chhattisgarh, Bhadaguda in Odisha, Udaipur in Rajasthan, Gurgoan in Haryana and Chitradurga in Karnataka. “Since north India is now facing an acute oxygen crisis, Vedanta can easily supply gas from these places,” he said.
Anticipating unrest, the police, led by Deputy Inspector General of Police Praveen Kumar Abinapu, made elaborate security arrangements in Thoothukudi, with Superintendents of Police S. Jayakumar of Thoothukudi and Suguna Singh of Tenkasi moving around.
