Closure of Sterlite Copper unit in Tamil Nadu: Supreme Court to consider hearing Vedanta’s plea

India’s Supreme Court will consider Vedanta group's plea related to closure of its Sterlite Copper unit in Tamil Nadu on Jan 22.

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider hearing the Vedanta group's plea related to the closure of its Sterlite Copper unit in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi on January 2.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the Vedanta group firm, that the matter needed to be heard. The senior lawyer said the matter has been listed for January 22 and urged the bench that the matter be heard.

The CJI said the counsel for the parties will be informed after he ascertains during the day as to whether any constitution bench matters are listed for hearing. Earlier, the top court had said it has directed the registrar to allocate "two dedicated dates" for hearing the Vedanta group's plea.

The Supreme Court, in May last year, had asked the Tamil Nadu government to take appropriate decisions in pursuance of its April 10 direction by which it had allowed the Vedanta group to carry out the upkeep of its Sterlite copper unit in Tuticorin under the supervision of a local-level monitoring committee.

In its April 10, 2023 order, the top court also allowed the evacuation of the remaining gypsum at the plant and made available the required manpower as requested by the company.

It had noted that the district collector had not recommended activities like undertaking a civil and structural safety integrity assessment study in the plant premises, removal and transportation of spares and equipment, and evacuation of in-process reverts and other raw materials lying idle.