This follows submission of status report by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to the court where it has stated that the company had satisfactorily complied with the various suggestions made it in its earlier report dated November 17, 1998.

NEERI, it may be recalled, was asked to suggest various minimum measures that SIL would have to undertake if it was to be allowed to reopen the smelter plant as an interim measure pending final disposal of the writ petition. NEERI had suggested various measures which the company agreed to follow after which the court allowed the company to reopen the smelter plant, after it remained closed for 33 days, on an experimental basisfor two months. It had also asked NEERI to study the situation and report to it.

NEERI, in its latest report, has said that the company has complied with its suggestions satisfactorily and has also initiated steps to undertake a comprehensive environmental impact and risk assessment study. The company has already approached Tata Consultancy Services, Engineers India Ltd, Micon, NEERI and the shortlisting would take place shortly.

The agency while stating that the company is currently producing at the permitted capacity of 40 per cent has asked the company to immediately get permission to produce copper anodes from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. SIL, on date, has permission only to produce copper blisters and maintains that copper anode is only another form of copper blisters which is disputed by the environmentalists.

NEERI has also stated, among other things, the need for an adequate environmental management plan considering the fact the plant is located within 25 km of Gulf of Mannar, anecologically fragile area. It has said that the company should give an undertaking to the court that it would carefully follow all provisions of environment management plan while at the same time developing a green belt using the treated waste water.

The agency has also suggested an immediate epidemiological study by Tamil Nadu health ministry to confirm or negate evidences of adverse health impact caused to people residing near SIL.