With anti-Sterlite protests gaining momentum in Thoothukudi, leaders of the movement against the copper smelter plant have lodged a complaint with the cybercrime wing of the Delhi Police, alleging that the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order, on reopening the factory in the southern port town, was leaked to a PR firm of Vedanta group ahead of the order being pronounced.
“We have lodged a complaint with the cybercrime division of Delhi Police. The Tamil Nadu government too should engage in this and get at the truth,” Professor Fatima Babu, who is leading the protests against Sterlite, told Hindustan Times, adding there is a strong suspicion that judicial independence and confidentiality has been compromised.
“A Microsoft Word doc file was released to select media organisations on December 15 at 1.14 pm, ahead of the NGT order was pronounced in the open court and even before the order was uploaded on the NGT website. Analysis of the file revealed that it was created in a computer with the username ‘NGT PA’ at 7.39 am. It was simultaneously modified at another computer with the username Abhas Pandya, who is Senior Group Head of Adfactors, which manages Vedanta’s media relations. This shows that the NGT order has been leaked,” she alleged.
Professor Fatima Babu lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police and sent a hard copy of her complaint to the cybercrime division of the Delhi Police. Some others are also lodging complaints in this matter.
However, Adfactors has vehemently denied the charges against the company. “We have not accessed any documents on the NGT’s order before the order was pronounced or uploaded on the tribunal’s website. It is false information that we have got prior information,” an officer at the PR firm, who does not wish to be named, told Hindustan Times.
Meanwhile, Thoothukudi has been brought under a security blanket with more than 5,000 police personnel deployed to maintain law and order.
In May 22, 13 people had died in the police during a massive protest rally that was carried to present a memorandum on the conclusion of a 100-day agitation to the Collectorate. And on May 28, the factory that was very close to the port and in the centre of the town, was shut down by the state government.
Following the NGT order banning the Tamil Nadu government’s Sterlite Copper smelter plant closure order, there have been a lot of protests. Political parties, student federations, villagers have started staging minor protests.
The state government’s decision to challenge the NGT order in the Supreme Court is welcomed, but Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami ruling out a policy decision on the factory’s permanent closure has not gone down well with the people.
The CPI(M), VCK and DMDK have conducted a token one-day protest in Tuticorin and submitted petitions to the District Collector, seeking permanent closure of Sterlite. Makkal Adhikaaram, a left outfit, along with SFI, and DYFI have been protesting at various places in Thoothukudi since Sunday.
Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement Organizer Hari Raghavan on Tuesday said people in and around the port town would hoist black flags on their houses to register their protest.
“We have sought the support of locals, political parties, organization and traders. Everyone has assured that they will support our black-flag protest,” Hari Raghavan told the HT.
Reacting to the protests, District Collector Sandeep Nanduri appealed for calm and said the people need not be apprehensive as the state government has announced that it would appeal against the NGT order. “We will proceed only on the outcome of the appeal,” he said.
While Vedanta has filed a caveat petition in the Supreme Court on Monday, Sterlite CEO, P Ramnath said they have written to the Thoothukudi district administration, seeking access to the plant.
“We have lost access into the plant since May. As we have to launch maintenance works, we have sought permission from the District Collector,” he told the media on Tuesday.
First Published: Dec 18, 2018 21:12 IST
Source: HindustanTimes