Madras HC dismisses plea to reopen Sterlite Copper Unit in Thoothukudi
According to sources in a big victory for tamilnadu government and people who protested against the Sterlite factory, the madras high court on tuesday upheld the state government’s decision to shut down Sterlite copper, a unit of Vedanta Limited in Thoothukudi. The court dismissed the company’s plea to resume operations, over two years after it was shut down by the state government for violating environmental norms. The plant, which has been pulled up for air and water pollution by the tamilnadu pollution Control Board (TNPCB), was ordered shut on May 24, 2018, two days after 13 civilians were shot dead by the police during protests against the plant.
Meanwhile a Bench of Justices TS Sivagnanam and v Bhavani Subbaroyan ordered that the plant cannot be allowed to reopen, and dismissed all petitions by Vedanta. The closure order will continue to stand. The company had been shut for violating environmental norms. Justice Sivagangam observed that the order would have been out in march itself but for the pandemic. Whatever the current status quo is, will obviously prevail, the judge added.
The court’s decision has significant ramifications for the state. In 2018, residents from villages around Sterlite, along with social and environmental activists, had staged sustained protests against the copper plant which has been slammed over pollution allegations since the 1990s when it was set up in the coastal district. The supreme court had fined the plant Rs 100 crores for environmental damages in 2013. At the high court, UK-based conglomerate Vedanta had argued since august 2019 that the state government’s move to shut down Sterlite was aimed at ‘appeasing’ a section of the public. The court had reserved judgment on Vedanta’s plea in january this year.
Meanwhile a Bench of Justices TS Sivagnanam and v Bhavani Subbaroyan ordered that the plant cannot be allowed to reopen, and dismissed all petitions by Vedanta. The closure order will continue to stand. The company had been shut for violating environmental norms. Justice Sivagangam observed that the order would have been out in march itself but for the pandemic. Whatever the current status quo is, will obviously prevail, the judge added.
The court’s decision has significant ramifications for the state. In 2018, residents from villages around Sterlite, along with social and environmental activists, had staged sustained protests against the copper plant which has been slammed over pollution allegations since the 1990s when it was set up in the coastal district. The supreme court had fined the plant Rs 100 crores for environmental damages in 2013. At the high court, UK-based conglomerate Vedanta had argued since august 2019 that the state government’s move to shut down Sterlite was aimed at ‘appeasing’ a section of the public. The court had reserved judgment on Vedanta’s plea in january this year.