Sterlite Copper approaches SC against Madras High Court order

The Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi on Wednesday approached the apex court against the order of the Madras High Court to shut down the plant. Sterlite said in its plea that closure order is unacceptable and needs to be scrapped immediately.

Chennai: Vedanta's multi-crore Sterlite firm on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court against the recent order of Madras High Court (MHC) which upheld the Tamil Nadu state government's decision to shut down Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi of Tamil Nadu.

Sterlite said in its plea that closure order is unacceptable and needs to be scrapped immediately.

"The MHC's order backing Tamil Nadu government's stance of sealing Sterlite copper smelter unit is unfortunate. Thousands of families are relying upon Sterlite copper smelter. The company has always followed the norms set by the Union and state government," the Vedanta group said in its appeal.

The bench of Justices TS Sivagnanam and V Bhavani Subbaroyan had said the plant could not be allowed to reopen.

After police opened fire, 13 lives were killed in the anti-Sterlite protests in May 2017. The incident had propelled the state government to issue an order to shut the smelter unit.

A one-man inquiry commission headed by retired Justice Aruna Jegadeesan was set up by the state government to conduct inquiries into the police firing incident.

Further, the state pollution control board had alleged that the Sterlite did not follow any pollution control norms in Thoothukkudi. Thereafter, the matter went to National Green Tribunal and Madras High Court.