A small leak had been detected in the sulphuric acid storage plant in Vedanta copper smelter in Tamil Nadu, a government official said on Sunday, about a month after the state had ordered its shutdown after protests in which around 13 people died and many were injured.
The Police had open fired on 22 May on a crowd of protesters calling for the shutdown of the plant on the grounds of pollution. The state government then ordered a permanent shutdown.
âA leakage was observed in the sulphuric acid storage plant. It doesnât look problematic, but we have decided to evacuate the storage tomorrow as a safety precaution,â said Sandeep Nanduri, the districtâs top administrative official.
Vedanta Ltd, the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta Resources PLC, which operates the smelter, said it has asked the government authorities to let company officials enter the plant to fix the problem in order to prevent any further damage.
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âWe have had no access to the plant ever since it was suddenly sealed and locked with effect from 28 May 2018,â it said.
Sulphuric acid, a corrosive byproduct of smelting, is used by fertilizer and chemical companies as a raw material.
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