Thoothukudis Sterlite Smelter May Reopen Expert Panel Recommends Green Restart Under Strict Sustainability Measures
Thoothukudi, once the epicentre of one of the most controversial industrial shutdowns in India, may soon witness a dramatic turnaround. An expert committee has recommended a “green restart” of the Sterlite Copper plant operated by Vedanta, which has remained shut since May 2018 following intense protests and a tragic police firing that claimed 13 civilian lives. This panel, formed at the request of Vedanta, submitted a detailed report proposing a new environmentally responsible and socially inclusive path for reopening the plant.
The report, authored by Ganapati D. Yadav, emeritus professor and former Vice-Chancellor of the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, and R. Nagendran, retired environmental engineering professor from Anna University and former member of the National Green Tribunal, outlines a transformative roadmap for bringing Sterlite back online. According to the document, the plant can resume operations if it adopts stringent environmental protocols and radically changes its mode of production and community engagement practices. One of the primary recommendations in the report is to implement a hybrid copper production model, wherein 30 percent of copper output would come from recycled material. This recycling-based method is expected to substantially reduce the environmental impact of smelting. Since the recycling process bypasses the ore-to-metal conversion stage, the generation of slag, which has been a major pollutant, would drop significantly. Hazardous waste could be reduced by up to 40 percent, and the overall operational load on local resources would be lowered.
Additionally, the panel has called for the closure of the plant’s phosphoric acid unit. The report states that shutting this section of the facility will eliminate the need to handle 22 lakh tonnes of raw materials annually, thereby decreasing both the logistical and environmental burden. This move is seen as essential for minimising bulk operations and simplifying compliance with environmental norms. The committee did not stop at production changes. It also put forth several infrastructural and procedural modifications aimed at cutting down emissions and improving water management. Among the key suggestions are enhancements in air pollution controls, including taller emission stacks and improved gas capture technology. These upgrades are meant to ensure that any future operations remain within acceptable environmental limits and address the long-standing allegations of toxic emissions that had fueled the original protests.
In terms of water usage, the panel has suggested that the plant move away from freshwater dependency. The report recommends that 80 percent of the facility’s water be sourced from desalinated supplies and that all process water be recycled internally. In a move designed to win back public trust, the use of municipal wastewater—up to 3,000 cubic metres daily—has also been proposed. Treated water would not only be reused within the plant but could also be shared with surrounding villages, a gesture aimed at rebuilding goodwill and community relations. Social integration and transparency form another critical layer of the committee’s recommendations. To ensure the public has a say in how the plant is run, the report proposes setting up a local management committee that includes representatives from the community, panchayats, and the plant itself. This committee would be tasked with monitoring operations, ensuring compliance, and serving as a liaison between the industry and the people.
The report also highlights a proposed ₹100 crore corporate social responsibility corpus that would be used for regional development. These funds are earmarked for education, healthcare, women’s empowerment, youth skill development, and environmental projects. According to the committee, such sustained investment is vital not only for corporate accountability but also for long-term reconciliation with the people of Thoothukudi, many of whom remain deeply sceptical about the company’s intentions. The backdrop of this report remains grim and unforgettable. The closure of the Sterlite plant was not just a bureaucratic order—it followed a prolonged agitation that culminated in a deadly police firing in 2018. The tragic incident marked a low point in India’s industrial-civic relationship, raising questions about environmental governance, corporate responsibility, and police overreach. Since then, Sterlite has remained a symbol of both industrial promise and public trauma.
Whether the recommendations will be accepted by the Tamil Nadu government remains uncertain. However, the report does signal Vedanta’s intent to reframe the narrative—not as a polluter seeking business as usual, but as a corporation willing to rebuild with transparency, reduced ecological impact, and social responsibility. The proposed changes, if implemented sincerely and monitored rigorously, could make the plant a model for how legacy industries might evolve in the age of sustainability.
Thoothukudi now finds itself at a crossroads. For many residents, the memory of 2018 remains raw, and the idea of the smelter restarting is likely to stir mixed reactions. Yet, if the promises in this report are realised not just on paper but in practice, the town may find a way to reconcile its industrial past with a greener, more equitable future.
