Sterlite protests: 9 dead, 20 injured amid violent clashes in Tamil Nadu
The protests had been going on
for 100 days since Sterlite Copper announced its plans to invest Rs 25 billion
in doubling the capacity of its existing facility to 800,000 tonnes per year
Current Affairs News: As many
as 9 people were killed on Tuesday and 20 others injured in Tamil Nadu's
Tuticorin, as a protest against Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit, going on for
100 days since the company announced its plans to invest Rs 25 billion in
doubling the capacity of its existing facility to 800,000 tonnes per annum,
turned violent. The protesters claim that the plant is causing harm to its
employees and increasing the capacity of the plant would aggravate the
problems.
Following a gas leak in March 2013, the then chief minister
late J Jayalalithaa had ordered its closure, following which the company moved
the National Green Tribunal. With
the tribunal overturning the government order, the state moved the Supreme
Court against it, and the petition has been pending since.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders have condemned the deaths
during the protest and blamed the government for being unable to control the
situation.
Here are the top developments in the
Tamil Nadu protests
In a government statement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E
Palaniswamy confirmed that the death toll had touched nine. He announced Rs 1
million for those who lost family members, Rs 300,000 for people who were
injured severely, and Rs 100,000 for those with minor injuries.
In an official statement, Sterlite Copper late on Tuesday
expressed regret and sorrow over the deaths that took place during protests
against it in Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin. The company said it had appealed to the
government to ensure safety of the employees of the plant, as well as the
surrounding communities.
"It's with great sorrow and regret that we witnessed
today's incidents around the protest today at Tuticorin. The company has
appealed to government and authorities to ensure the safety of our employees,
facilities and surrounding communities. Sterlite Copper plant is
non-operational as we await approval for the consent to operate," the
statement read.
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