Madras High Court Verdict On Thoothukudi Sterlite Plant Closure Tomorrow

The Madras High Court will deliver its judgement tomorrow (18 August) on a petition filed by UK-based Vedanta Resources against the closure of its Thoothukudi Sterlite Copper Plant.

A two-judge bench of the court comprising Justices T S Sivagnanam and Bhavani Subbaroyan will give their judgement that was reserved on 8 January this year, Bar and Bench tweeted.

The Sterlite Copper Plant was ordered shut by the Tamil Nadu government on 28 May 2018 following violence demanding its closure.

Nearly 100 days of protest demanding its closure resulted in violence on 22 May 2018 when the protestors took out a procession and indulged in violence damaging government buildings, properties and vehicles.

In the police firing to control the mob indulging in violence, 13 persons were killed.

The High Court took up Vedanta’s petition after the Supreme Court asked the firm to move the High Court in March 2019 while striking down a National Green Tribunal order asking the state government to allow the copper plant to operate.

The closure of the plant has resulted in India becoming a net importer of copper, while also helping Pakistan increase its copper exports to Pakistan by 400 per cent.

The Sterlite plant offered direct employment to 4,000 people and indirect employment to 20,000. The closure of the unit since May 2018 has led to a ripple effect on the industrial city’s economy.