In a major setback to Sterlite, its factory at Thoothukudi will remain shut, after the Madras High Court today refused to allow the reopening of the plant.
Justices TS Sivagnanam and V Bhavani Subbaroyan, in a 815-page judgement, disposed of a batch of cases filed by Vedanta Limited to reopen its Sterlite copper smelting plant.
The plant was shut on April 9, 2018, after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) refused to grant consent to operate (CTO) the plant due to environmental concerns. In May that year, the TNPCB ordered closure of the plant permanently — after 13 anti-Sterlite protestors were shot down in a police firing on May 22.
In January 2020, the Bench reserved orders on a plea filed by Vedanta in March 2019 challenging the closure of its plant. Since June 2019, the Bench heard marathon arguments for 36 days by a battery of lawyers appearing for various parties.
The judges refused to order status quo until Vedanta goes on appeal to the Supreme Court.
