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TN opposes Vedanta in SC to produce oxygen, claims stock full
Vedanta’s Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin was shut in May 2018 following serious environmental breaches observed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
The Supreme Court will take up an application filed by Vedanta Limited to be allowed the production of medical oxygen at its Tuticorin plant in Tamil Nadu next week even as the state government opposed this request claiming to have enough stock of medical oxygen, HT has learnt.
Vedanta’s Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin was shut in May 2018 following serious environmental breaches observed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Even as the company is fighting a legal battle in the Supreme Court against the state’s decision to keep its copper plant closed, in April this year, the company came with a proposal to open its plant solely for the production of medical oxygen that was in high demand during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Supreme Court on April 27 allowed the opening of the oxygen plant on a “stand-alone basis” till July 31 and decided to assess later whether the operation needs to be continued.
The company claimed that its oxygen plants have a total capacity to produce 1,050 tons per day (TPD) and the same would be supplied for free to the nearby hospitals and various state governments.
A bench headed by Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, while passing the April 2021 order said, “We are inclined to allow the prayer for permitting the operation of the oxygen plant on a stand-alone basis for meeting the national requirements during the pandemic. This shall not create any equities in favour of the applicant (Vedanta) to demand or expect the running of the plant as a whole in the future.”
On Friday, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Vedanta, mentioned the matter before a bench of Justice Chandrachud and sought permission of the Court to continue with the production of medical oxygen. The bench agreed to list the matter next week. But the Tamil Nadu government represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal opposed Vedanta’s proposal.
Sibal said, “We have enough stock of medical oxygen. We do not need any oxygen further. We oppose the application moved by Vedanta.”
The bench agreed to consider all arguments at the next hearing. The April order had made it clear that staff or officers of Vedanta shall not be entitled to enter upon the copper smelting plant or any of its appurtenant facilities, including for maintenance. The state was directed to expedite the grant of necessary permissions for obtaining electricity and other utilities for the closed oxygen generating units of Vedanta.
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