SC stays HC order to shut down Sterlite plant in TN

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Madras High Court order directing Sterlite Industries to close down its copper smelting plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, for not complying with environment norms.

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Madras High Court order directing Sterlite Industries to close down its copper smelting plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, for not complying with environment norms.

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The bench stayed operation of the order till October 18, the next date of hearing.

Senior advocate C.A. Sundaram, appearing on behalf of Sterlite Industries, submitted that if the high court order was not stayed, it would be a great injury to the company as the plant would have to be shut down.

Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of the UK-based Vedanta Group, had moved the apex court against the order of September 28 ordering the shutting down of the plant for not complying with environment norms.

The company had claimed that the high court did not give it a proper hearing.

The high court held that the plant was within 25 km of an ecologically fragile area and the company had failed to develop a green belt of 250 metres width around the plant.

A month ago, Vedanta’s Rs 7,000 crore mining project in Niyamgiri Hills in Orissa was denied environment clearance.