Gearing up for the future



The company says it would go ahead with its Rs 3,000-crore plan to double capacity, in spite of the controversies.



"We are very clear that this plant is not only important for the company but for the country's growth, considering it is a major source for infrastructure projects (copper is used in defence, electricity, automobile, construction and infrastructure )," says Ramnath, adding that the experiences so far will come in handy in its next phase of growth.



Sterlite's legal issues are broadly on four major fronts: its location - it is too close to the ecologically sensitive region of the Gulf of Munnar ; it has not created a sufficient green belt around the factory; that public hearings were not held before giving the plant a go-ahead; and pollutants from the factory were seeping into the ground water.



Sterlite stands its ground on all these accusations. It says there is no notification prohibiting the location of a factory in Tuticorin. On the absence of pubic hearing, it says it was granted environmental clearance based on the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification in January 1994, which did not mandate public hearing.



It also says that TNPCB, upon request from the company, had reduced the green zone to 25 mts from 250 mts. On the issue of contaminating the ground water -samples taken from the area showed high level of cadmium, flouride, chrome, lead and arsenic in 2005 -the company says it has taken several measures to ensure waste did not seep into the ground.

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