Sterlite Contests TNPCB’s Data On Reduced Pollution Levels After Plant Shutdown, Provides Own Findings 

Sterlite Copper has accused the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) of presenting flawed data before the National Green Tribunal on Sunday (28 October). The company also provided its own findings to prove that the information presented by the government body was flawed.

The TNPCB on Sunday had claimed that the level of Sulphur dioxide (SO2) in the air had notably reduced after the closure of Sterlite’s plant at Thoothukudi, to justify the claims made by the government that SO2 was a major factor for the high levels of pollution in the city and that the decision to shut the plant was right, as reported by The Hindu Business Line.

Sterlite meanwhile, argued that the TNPCB had relied on new data concerning an analysis of water, sediments and soil samples collected during 12-15 October, 2018. The findings were contested and found to be invalid as the samples that were collected and analysed by a private laboratory appointed by TNPCB without following the correct procedure as dictated by the Air and Water Act, said A Sumathi, Associate Vice President, Sterlite Copper.

The Tamil Nadu government informed the National Green Tribunal on Sunday (October 28) that the air quality around the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi has improved since its closure. However, a report in the Times of India had claimed the contrary, relying on RTI documents to show that the levels of SO2 and nitrogen oxide remained unchanged.