Supreme Court extends stay on Sterlite plant closure case

Sterlite Industries today won a reprieve till mid-December on closure of its copper smelting plant, with the Supreme Court asking the Centre and Tamil Nadu government and pollution control authorities to state why action was taken against the company.

Hearing Sterlite's plea that Madras high court ordered closure of its plant in Tuticorin despite compliance with green norms, the apex court issued notices to the Centre, Tamil Nadu government and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.

A bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and HL Gokhale directed the parties to file their reply within two weeks.

The court also said its interim order passed on October 1, staying the order of the Madras high court directions would continue till second week of December, the next date of hearing.

The Supreme Court has also directed Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, to produce the reports of National Environmental Research Institute (NERI) by the next date of hearing.

The bench also directed the company to file an affidavit detailing the steps taken by the company for disposal of solid waste coming out of its copper smelting plant.