Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
broken clouds
weather
OMAN
23°C / 23°C
EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Vedanta’s plea to reopen copper smelter rejected

minus
plus

NEW DELHI: The environmental court did not allow Vedanta Ltd to reopen its copper smelter in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, a lawyer representing the state said on Thursday after a hearing on the matter.


The National Green Tribunal did not accept Vedanta’s request to reopen the smelter on an interim basis, V Mowli, a lawyer for the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) said outside the court.


Vedanta has also sought a permanent injunction against the Tamil Nadu government from interfering with the operations of its copper smelter.


A company spokesman for Vedanta confirmed there was a case before the Tribunal but did not comment specifically on Thursday’s decision.


The Tamil Nadu government ordered the permanent closure of the plant and disconnected its power supply in May following protests that turned violent and culminated in the police opening fire on protesters, killing 13 of them.


The protesters had demanded a permanent shutdown of the plant, which they said was causing air and water pollution, and as a risk to fisheries. Vedanta says the protests were based on false notions.


Vedanta Ltd, a subsidiary of billionaire Anil Agarwal-controlled Vedanta Resources, argued that the closure of the smelter was only based on “political considerations and to appease the public protests,” according to a copy of the petition reviewed by Reuters.


However, the Tamil Nadu government will stick to its stance that the plant is polluting, said Rakesh Sharma, a second lawyer representing the TNPCB. “We’ll argue on their violation on environmental aspects,” he said. The case will be heard next on July 18 for the state to reply to the issues raised in Vedanta’s petition.


Vedanta said in its petition that inspections by the TNPCB whose findings were used to shut down the plant never happened. “No such inspection (was) carried out by the officials of the TNPCB” on May 18 or 19, the company said. — Reuters


SHARE ARTICLE
arrow up
home icon