The Sterlite Incident : An example of the state-machinery failing

  11-Jun-2018 12:03:50

Sterlite Tamil Nadu
Pic Credits: The Hindu


A small town which has witnessed only silent protests till now saw the death of 13 people and several hundred injured. Protesting against an industry for polluting the environment, the seemingly peaceful protests took a violent turn on May 22, 2018.



Tuticorin, commonly called by the local folks at Thoothukudi, is a small coastal town in Tamil Nadu, mainly known as the hub for fishing and a land for a variety of houses, is also infamously known for its only copper smelter plant, Sterlite. It has been in the now for almost two decades and has been a constant nightmare for the citizens of Tuticorin. Here's why..

WHAT’S STERLITE?


Sterlite Copper, also known as Sterlite, is a subsidiary of the Vedanta Resources which specializes in mining and refining nonferrous metals.

Sterlite was allotted 500 acres of land by Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in 1992. Later in 1993 the company was asked to suspend construction. The local people were against the construction of Sterlite fearing that it will pollute more.

STERLITE IN TAMIL NADU


After being rejected in Maharashtra Sterlite, came to Tamil Nadu and was issued a No Objection Certificate by the Tamil Nadu Pollution control Board. Though they were asked to carry an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the Ministry of Environment and Forest issued a clearance in Jan 1995 without an EIA. A condition was stipulated by TNCB saying that the factory should be located 25km away from the Gulf of Mannar. But this was violated and it was built within 14 kms. Soon in 1996 the license was issued to the plant ignoring the violations. After several months public began opposing the plant as people began to fall sick due to the smoke coming from the plant. In May 1997 many women workers at a dry flower manufacturing unit fainted due to a gas leak from Sterlite.

THE MASSACRE


Sporadic protests have been ongoing since then. When it made headlines again in March 2013 for the same reason, the then Chief Minister, the late J Jayalalithaa, ordered its closure. The company appealed to the National Green Tribunal, which overturned the government order following which the state moved to the Supreme Court where it was slapped a 100 crore fine. Yet, despite all impositions, Sterlite wanted to expand its regions.


The plant closed on March 27, 2018, with the company citing a 15-day maintenance process and the next hundred days saw protests which have never been seen in the last two decades.


While hearing a petition on the Vedanta Group, The Madurai bench of the Madras High court directed the administration to impose Section 144 in Thoothukudi on 22 May, based on the pamphlets being distributed for the mega rally where at least 2000 protestors were expected to lay siege to the District Collector's Office, but almost 50,000 protestors gathered out of nowhere.

While the police were unprepared for such a crowd with almost nil necessary forces to stop them, a shooting order was imposed which saw the death of 13, leaving hundreds injured. Eyewitnesses and ground reports, however, do point out that the police attempted to contain the situation with lathi charge, but they were unable to and they say that was when they took the decision to guard the Collector. This protest saw TN on fire with many politicians from the ruling and the opposition parties condemning the act. They claimed it akin to the second JallianwalaBagh massacre and demanded the Chief Minister Edappadi.K.Palaniswamy act on it immediately. Side by side, viral videos of police forces getting on top of vans and aiming to shoot violent protestors further agitated the situation.

It is to be noted that on the TN police training manual, a series of steps have to be followed by the police before firing. When crowds turn violent, they would first have to be declared an unlawful assembly and be ordered to disperse. If they do not disperse, the Collector should order the police to invoke coercive measures. After this, the police can use tear gas, mild lathi charge and then water cannons. And if all this fails, police can open fire, but only after issuing a warning through a megaphone, stating that lives could be lost. They are also required to host a riot flag. And finally, while opening fire, they must first shoot in the air and then aim only below the hip. However, activists allege that on 22 May, no announcements were made, no water cannons were in place and most victims took bullets to the chest and head.Several protesters present at the site recalled to the media that the bullets started raining on them without warning.

LEADERS VOICE OUT AGAINST THE SHOOTING


DMK leader MK Stalin tweeted a photo of what appears to be a cop in plain clothes pointing his gun at the protesters with the title, “Mass Murder of Innocent People”. Congress President Rahul Gandhi also came in support of the Thoothukudi victims stating that it was “a brutal example of state-sponsored terrorism”. But what came as a shocker was the TN CM marking his words in support of the Police forces. “The police had to take action under unavoidable circumstances to protect public life and property as the protesters resorted to repeated violence... police had to control the violence,” he said in a statement. He later had announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for those killed during protests and Rs 3 lakh each for the injured, and government jobs for the family members of the deceased. Several actors including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Vijay had visited the families of the deceased and injured and had consoled them for their loss. The violent actor-turned-politicians Rajini and Kamal also took to media to condemn the state's inability to control the situation thereby the avoiding the human loss.


Meanwhile, Anil Agarwal who has a major stake in the Sterlite Copper Plant had taken to Twitter to express the sadness about the protesters' deaths, saying "it was absolutely unfortunate" and his full sympathy is with the families of those killed. He said he is committed to the local community and the environment, and to abide by the law. In light of such recent incidents, The Home Ministry has asked the TN government to submit a report on the police firing and the National Human Rights Commission has also agreed to send a team of investigators to carry out its own probe while the Sterlite Plant has taken to keeping its doors shut saying that it has agreed to people's pleas.


Three days ago, the TN Govt. did its part in giving hand to the issue by ordering an enquiry commission to look into it immediately. It is headed by retired HC Judge ArunaJagadeesan who met the victims of the Thoothukudi massacre at the hospital and urged them and made a request to TN citizens to stand by the truth and give them their required information, if they knew, without any hesitation or fear.


In the end, the battle between common man and corporatehas the common man getting affected always. True enough that the closure of the industry would result in import of copper from different countries. This might have an adverse effect on the economy. But one shouldn't forget the environmental damage it has caused throughout the years. The victims should get justice for the atrocities meted to them.


The Government should take proper action against those who have committed this violent act. Not knowing who gave the shooting order makes the Government looks like a puppet.

By: KARUNA BALASUBRAMANIAN