States »SoutPosted at: Apr 30 2021 3:50PM TN issues GO allowing Vedanta to produce oxygen at Tuticorin plant, forms monitoring panel
Chennai, Apr 30 (UNI) In line with the Supreme Court directive,
the Tamil Nadu government today granted permission for Vedanta
Industries to produce oxygen at its Copper smelter plant in Tuticorin
district for treating COVID patients.
A Government Order (GO) was issued allowing temporary functioning
of the plant to produce oxygen only till July 31.
In the GO, the government also constituted a seven-member monitoring
committee headed by the Thoothukudi District Collector to supervise the
entire functions of the oxygen plants and to decide its operation, by strictly
following the Supreme Court’s directions.
The committee will be headed by Tuticorin District Collector as its
Chairperson and has District SP, District Sub-Collector, District
Environmental Engineer of the Pollution Control Board, Deputy Chief
Chemist, two envrionmental experts to be nominated as per the orders
of Supreme Court, as its Members.
The Committee is empowered to ensure that the oxygen plant was run
and managed as per the Committee's direction and in compliance with
environmental and safety norms, oversee the proper function of the
oxygen plant in complaince with the Supreme Court directive, decide
on the number of persons to be permitted within the premises of the
plant for the purpose only of managing and conducting the oxygen
production facility, engage with the residents of the areas so as to
redress any legitimate concern in regard to the nature or modalities
for operaring the oxygen plant on a stand alone basis, conduct safety
audit before the commencement of operations and to issue suitable
directions to ensure safety of operations.
The Chairperson of the Committee is directed to send fortnightly report
in this regard to the Government, the GO said.
It also directed the TNPCB chairperson to ensure that other than the
oxygen plants and its accessories, no other part of the unit becomes
operational and all other units remains closed under all circumstances.
UNI GV 1550