Supreme Court adjourns Sterlite unit closure case by 3 weeks

Supreme Court has adjourned by three weeks an appeal filed by Sterlite Industries to quash a lower court's order to close its copper smelter on environmental concerns, a court order said on Monday.

Earlier, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board said Sterlite Industries, has met the necessary requirements at its Tuticorin copper smelter, a court document seen by Reuters on Monday showed.    

Last October, the top court had asked two respondents to Sterlite's petition -- the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute -- to file status reports within four weeks.

Last month, the Supreme Court had adjourned Sterlite smelter case hearing to the third week of January.                                            

Sterlite, a unit of Vedanta Resources, is India's largest copper cathodes maker and has faced a lengthy legal battle over environmental concerns with petitions -- the first of which were filed in 1996 -- that challenge its environmental clearances.