COVID-19: Sterlite plant shut in 2018 to turn saviour, to produce Oxygen for 4 months

The Tamil Nadu government, with the consensus of all major political parties, has said that the Vedanta’s Sterlite plant in Tuticorin can service and operate their Oxygen plant for 4 months, using electricity provided by the state government. It has also added that based on the Covid-19 situation and the requirement of oxygen, this period may be extended.

This decision to permit the plant’s operation comes with several conditions - no other unit within the plant will be allowed to operate, electricity will be suspended after the stipulated period and copper or other products cannot be manufactured during these four months. Also, Sterlite will not be permitted to use its power generation unit.

In terms of security arrangements and confidence-building among the local population, the government has said that a team under the leadership of the district collector and police officials, along with government experts in oxygen manufacturing, local people, anti-Sterlite protestors, NGOs, and environmental experts will be deciding and monitoring oxygen production at the plant.

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Addressing fellow political leaders at the all-party meeting, Chief Minister Palaniswami said that Vedanta had approached the Supreme Court, seeking permission to maintain its valuable assets in the Smelter plant and produce 1,050 tonne of oxygen, which can be supplied free to the nearby hospitals and other states.