SC JUNKS VEDANTA PLEA TO INSPECT CLOSED STERLITE COPPER UNIT

The Supreme Court Wednesday dismissed the interim plea of mining major Vedanta Ltd seeking permission to inspect its Sterlite copper unit at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, which is closed since May 2018 over pollution concerns, and to operate it for four weeks to assess the pollution level.

Vedanta had sought handing over of the plant for three months saying it requires two months to start the unit and the company should be allowed to run it for four weeks to ascertain whether its polluting or not.

The interim plea by Vedanta was opposed by Tamil Nadu government which claimed before a bench headed by Justice R F Nariman that the plant had been “polluting consistently”.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the mining major, told the apex court that it is a “case of mala fide closure of the plant” and Vedanta is producing 36 per cent of copper demand of the country.

“Allow us to run (the plant) for four weeks and it can be proved whether we are polluting beyond the point,” Singhvi told the bench, also comprising Justices Navin Sinha and K M Joseph.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for some villagers who are residing nearby the plant, claimed that the unit should not be allowed to operate as water is getting contaminated there and people are suffering from diseases like cancer.

The bench, while holding that interim plea of Vedanta cannot be allowed, said that final hearing in the matter can be heard after physical hearing starts in the apex court.

VEDANTA SOUGHT HANDING OVER OF THE PLANT FOR THREE MONTHS SAYING IT NEEDS TWO MONTHS TO START THE UNIT AND IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RUN TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER ITS POLLUTING OR NOT