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Indian court declines interim relief to Vedanta owned Sterlite

The court posted the matter to March 27 for further hearing. The bench has also asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to file its reply by then inconnection with the case (REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo).

By: Radhakrishna N S

AN INDIAN court yesterday (1) declined to provide any interim comfort to Vedanta owned Sterlite to conduct maintenance work at its closed copper smelter unit in Tuticorin of the southern Indian state, Tamil Nadu.

The Madras high court posted the matter to March 27 for further hearing. The bench has also asked the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to file its reply by then inconnection with the case.

Sterlite in its plea filed according to the recent suggestion of the country’s top court, has questioned the May 23, 2018 orders of TNPCB refusing the renewal consent to the plant as well as permanent closure, terming them as wholly illegal, unconstitutional and ultra vires.

Earlier,Tamil Nadu state government ordered the permanent shutdown of the plant in the wake of violent protests against Sterlite that led to death of 13 people in police firing last year.

The local residents were protesting against environment pollution being allegedly caused by the copper smelter.

India’s apex court on February 18 had set aside the order of the country’s environment court permitting the opening of the plant but gave a choice to the firm to approach the high court against the closure order.