Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant: SC to resume hearing plea on January 29

On January 24, the Supreme Court said that it will resume the hearing on Vedanta's plea regarding Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu on January 29.

The apex court, however, asked the Tamil Nadu government to immediately provide electricity supply to the copper plant at Tuticorin, according to ANI.

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), on January 23, had sought a compliance report from the plant in response to their application seeking renewal of Consent to Operate (CTO).

The state government, on the other hand, has been opposing the re-opening of the plant, where at least 13 people were killed and several were injured in May last year when police had open fired at people staging a protest outside the plant against pollution caused by the plant.

On January 8, the SC had refused to stay NGT's order of setting aside the Tamil Nadu government's decision to close Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant at Tuticorin. 

A bench, headed by Justice R F Nariman, had sought a response from Vedanta on the state government's appeal against the NGT's order to reopen the plant.

Earlier, the state had moved the top court, saying that the NGT had "erroneously" set aside various orders passed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) last year with regard to the Sterlite plant.

Calling it "non-sustainable" and "unjustified", the NGT later, on December 15, had set aside the state government's order for closure of the Sterlite copper plant.