Supreme Court allows Vedanta to carry out upkeep of its Sterlite plant

The Supreme Court has allowed Sterlite Copper to carry out the upkeep of the plant in Tamil Nadu, Vedanta informed on Monday. It said the three-member SC bench headed by Chief Justice of India Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed the company to "open in the national interest".  

Vedanta said it had filed applications seeking reliefs from the top court to ensure proper upkeep of the Copper Smelter Plant, which was shut in 2018. The court considered the report of the High Powered Expert Committee and the recommendations of the state government. 

After considering the report, the apex court permitted Vedanta to carry out the activities at the plant. "The court considered the aspect of the plant being a national asset as its reopening would immensely help in India becoming self-reliant in copper," the company said. "Today’s development has brought much cheer and hope to the communities dependent on this plant."

The copper plant has remained shut since May 2018. Following the closure of the unit that used to contribute 40 per cent of domestic copper production, India has become a net importer of the metal crucial for the country's energy transition from being a net exporter earlier, the company said.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha that it was examining complaints against certain NGOs for misusing foreign funds to organise protests around the Vedanta Sterlite copper plant in Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu.

The Sterlite Copper plant, located in Tamil Nadu, was shut down in May 2018 by the Tamil Nadu government after a wave of protests from locals and activists over concerns about the plant's environmental impact and public health risks. The plant had been the subject of controversy for years, with allegations of pollution and violations of environmental and labor laws.

In March 2013, the plant was temporarily shut down by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) after complaints from residents about the emissions from the plant. However, the plant was allowed to reopen two months later after Vedanta claimed it had addressed the issues.

In May 2018, following protests by locals and activists, the TNPCB refused to renew the plant's license to operate, citing non-compliance with environmental regulations. The plant was subsequently ordered to shut down permanently.

Speaking on today's development, Sterlite Copper COO A Sumathi said: "We are happy about today's proceedings and directions from the Supreme Court. As the Court considered the report of the High-Powered Expert Committee and the recommendations of the State Government, we look forward to carrying out the upkeep activities at the plant. Our stakeholders have expressed hope and cheer about today’s development at the court and they are waiting for the plant to restart operations."