‘TNgovtturned bloodthirsty’ WAIVE FARM LOANS IN 24 HOURS OR FACE PROTESTS: YEDDY
STATE BANDH DMK leader says CM must be held responsible for deaths that occurred during antiSterlite protests
The CEO of Sterlite has said that they will not shut down. Today, people are dying there but the government has done nothing. KANIMOZHI, DMK leader
DMK leader Kanimozhi was among those detained during the Tamil Nadu bandh called by the main opposition party to protest against the 13 deaths in police firing on people protesting against the Sterlite plant in Thoothukudi on Friday.
Kanimozhi said that the Edappadi K Palaniswami-led government has become “bloodthirsty” and the chief minister should be held responsible for the deaths.
“The CEO of Sterlite has said that they will not shut down. Today, people are dying there, but the government has done nothing,” she added. Several other parties, including the Congress, are backing the bandh.
Ten people died on Tuesday when their protest against the construction of a new smelter by the Sterlite Copper turned violent in the coastal city. Three more people died on the following day.
The Tamil Nadu government said on Thursday that it was seeking a permanent closure of a big copper smelter run by Londonlisted Vedanta Resources after 13 people died in protests demanding the closure of the plant on environmental grounds.
“The government’s position is very clear, it doesn’t want the plant to run,” said Sandeep Nanduri, District Collector of Thoothukudi, after a meeting with senior state government officials.
Other state officials confirmed the government’s position.
On Tuesday, police opened fire on protesters demanding that the smelter in Thoothukudi be shut down. In all, 13 protesters have been killed this week.
Residents and environmental activists say emissions from the plant, India’s second biggest, are polluting the air and water, affecting people’s health.
Meanwhile, SP Murali Rambha said the situation in the area was under control. “The town is calm now and situation is under control. Sufficient number of police has been deployed to maintain the law and order. We are working towards restoring hotels and markets,” he said.
On Thursday, authorities cut the power to the smelter. The pollution control board of Tamil Nadu said the smelter, which was shut pending renewal of its operating licence, was found last week to be preparing to resume production without permission.
On Thursday, Vedanta’s Indian stock closed down 2%. A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ email seeking comment on the state’s closure plan and the allegation that it had been preparing to resume production without approvals. Vedanta previously denied the smelter has been polluting the air and water.
“The issue of renewal of consent for the year 2018-2023 has been rejected ... due to non compliance of certain conditions,” the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said in an order dated Wednesday.
It did not elaborate on the conditions the smelter had not met but said it “shall be disconnected with power supply and closed with immediate effect”.
Striking an aggressive note, Karnataka BJP chief BS Yeddyurappa on Friday warned of a statewide stir if the Congress-JD(S) coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy did not waive farm loans within 24 hours.
Yeddyurappa said the JD(S) leader had promised to waive farm loans worth ₹53,000 crore, including those borrowed from nationalised banks. “It was you who had promised waiving farm loans within 24 hours (after assuming office). The farmers will not be ready to buy your stories that you head a coalition government and it has its own compulsions. You have to announce it in this special session itself. Else, we will prepare an action plan to launch our agitation across the state,” he said.
Yeddyurappa said he would not comment on the Congress as it is already out to “finish” the JD(S). However, he said, the BJP’s struggle was mainly against the “anti-farmer, antipeople and corrupt government of Kumaraswamy”.
To support his claim that the Kumaraswamy government would be corrupt, he quoted JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda’s grandson Prajwal’s recent reported remark that no work happens without “suitcase” in the party.
“Corruption during the JD(S) government will only continue and nobody will bother to protect the interests of people,” the BJP leader said.
“Irrigation will not get priority. Under these circumstances, it is my duty as an opposition to continue our struggle to protect the interests of people,” said Yeddyurappa, who had stepped down as chief minister two days after assuming office, without taking the floor test, on May 17.
CHENNAI: BENGALURU: