The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday directed issue of notice to Vedanta, the holding company of Sterlite Copper, after hearing a plea that sought ₹750 crore from the company towards the rehabilitation of the people affected by pollution in Thoothukudi and as compensation to those who perished in the Thoothukudi firing incident.
The petitioner S.P. Vijay Nivas, in his public interest litigation petition, claimed that the people of Thoothukudi were exposed to air and water pollution for over 24 years.
According to him, hazardous chemicals found their way into drinking water and air. The environment had largely affected women, resulting in abortions. Even children below the age of 12 years were suffering from lung diseases and cancer, he alleged. Sulphur dioxide could be found in the groundwater in Thoothukudi, rendering it undrinkable, the petitioner alleged.
He wanted the company to pay a compensation of ₹620 crore towards rehabilitation of the people. He also sought compensation of ₹10 crore to each of the families of those who died in the police firing on the 100th day of the anti-Sterlite protest.
A Division Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Sathish Kumar directed notice to the respondents and adjourned the case by four weeks.