The plant had stopped functioning on March 25 after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board denied it green consent and it was sealed on May 28.
Following a minor leakage of sulphuric acid spotted at Vedanta’s Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin, the state government has called in various bodies, including state pollution control board officials, to handle the situation.
The leak — seepage from the sulphuric acid tank — was reportedly a few days old and the condition was categorised as a ‘minor leak’ by district collector Sandeep Nanduri.
The plant had stopped functioning on March 25 after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board denied it green consent and it was sealed on May 28 with a government order after an anti-Sterlite protest by Tuticorin people ended up in police firing that killed 13 people.
Nanduri said the leakage was not a cause for worry. “We have already deployed experts…it is a minor leak,” he said.
The official said they were not able to manage the plant since May 28. “We were asked to leave suddenly on May 28. Sulphur is a byproduct in the production of copper. As there was no copper production since March 25, whatever is left is a little sulphur,” the official said.
A statement from M Esakkiappan, Sterlite spokeperson, said the leak was observed during police surveillance of the plant facilities.