Sources stated that Thoothukudi district collector, Sandeep Nanduri on Monday refuted rumors that Sterlite is to resume operation, asserting that the closure order of the government against the copper smelter plant remains unaltered. Meanwhile the ‘rumors’ are doing the rounds on social media is being sourced to media reports that the Vedanta has asked its employees to report for duty.
Nanduri said “They might have misconstrued the ongoing material evacuation process monitored by the sub-collector headed team as resumption of production”. Moreover he clarified that around 50% of the materials that included 3,600 metric tonnes of sulphuric acid, 420 tonnes of phosphoric acid, 12,600 tonnes of gypsum, 2,600 tonnes of rock phosphate, silicic acid, copper concentrate, liquid oxygen and other petroleum products like diesel, LPG and Isopropyl Alcohol have been evacuated from the factory site.
Furthermore other materials like rock phosphate and copper concentrates
are the main raw materials resumption of production process is impossible
without these, said the district collector, adding, that a bare minimum of the
company employees have been engaged in the government monitored process of
evacuating the materials. Further it has been said that the employees meet held
on Monday was attended by top officials of the Vedanta resources to discuss the
next course of action for the welfare of Sterlite employees.
