These are some of the developments in the fast changing scenario in the case of the Sterlite copper smelter plant located on the Southern tip of Tamil Nadu, Tuticorin.
On the advice of the TN Pollution Control Board, the TN Electricity Board has disconnected the power supply to the plant. This amounts to closing down the plant.
The TN Govt. has replaced the District Collector and the SP of Tuticorin and the replacement officials have reached the town and are assuming charge.
Following the order of the Madras HC, the bodies of the dead have been preserved for the time being.
The number of dead has increased to 13. 11 died on Tuesday’s firing; 1 more died yesterday in firing by the police again and one of the seriously injured breathed his last this morning failing to respond to treatment.
The state government has ordered the suspension of internet services in three districts including Tuticorin to prevent spread of falsehood to instigate violence.
Police have registered FIRs against political leaders who made a beeline to the affected town to visit the injured in the hospital, for defying Sec. 144.
The state government has appointed a one-woman judicial commission to enquire into the whole sequence of events on Tuesday at Tuticorin.
Aruna Jagadeesan, a retired judge of the Madras High Court will enquire into the violence and police firing.
The company continues to defend its plant and claims the opposition to its continuance is instigated by outsiders.
Opposition criticizing the Edapadi govt for being insensitive and none of the senior ministers or the CM/Dy CM have visited Tuticorin so far.
Hindusthan Samachar/S. Mahadevan/Shri Ram Shaw\
