more-in THOOTHUKUDI The Collector’s office here on Monday witnessed different groups of people submitting petitions opposing and supporting Sterlite Copper. Around 250 farmers submitted a petition to Collector Sandeep Nanduri seeking reopening of Sterlite unit. The farmers, belonging to farmers’ associations from Srivaikuntam, Arumuganeri, Athur and Idayar Kadu, said the company had been spending crores of rupees on its corporate social responsibility activities for the welfare of farmers. “They desilted and restored channels and installed shutters at check dams,” said M. Sintha, president of Tamirabarani Irrigation Farmers’ Development Association, Srivaikuntam. The company hired their children, who studied in various institutes, including ITIs, he added. With the closure of the plant, the prices of fertilizers such as diammonium phosphate (DAP) had risen, the petitioners claimed. Many others submitted petitions against the ‘canvassing efforts of the company’. “Some representatives of Sterlite, their employees and contract workers have been approaching business establishments to convince and persuade traders’ associations to given up their opposition to reopening of the plant,” said P. Vinayagamoorthy, president of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peravai. He said such efforts should be stopped before they lead to a law and order problem. The Collector said appropriate action would be taken if the public complained of such activities by anyone. Around 30 residents of Madathur, who submitted a petition to the Collector, said Sterlite plant should remain closed. “So many lives have been lost. Many have suffered disabilities (after the anti-Sterlite agitation). They can open the plant anywhere else but not here,” said one of the petitioners. Similarly, CPI (M) district secretary K.S. Arjunan submitted a petition asking Sterlite to stop its activities to garner support. Neither the district administration nor the Public Works Department has granted permission for the plant to desilt waterbodies, he said. Residents of A. Kumarettiyapuram, who bought water for ?10 per can, should be supplied water for drinking and other purposes as the water available in the area had been polluted, he said.

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