Thoothukudi Sterlite plant shuts down as SC deadline for operations ends

In compliance with an order from the Tamil Nadu State Government, the Sterlite plant at Thoothukudi was shut on Sunday. Workers have been asked to leave and water and electricity supplies have been reportedly cut. The government order came on July 31-- the last day Vedanta had been allowed by the Supreme Court to open the plant for the production of medical-grade oxygen.

On April 27, the top court had allowed Vedanta to operate its closed oxygen plant at Thoothukudi, saying the order was being passed in view of the national need for oxygen as the country was facing a crisis. Vedanta had appealed to the Supreme Court for permission to keep its oxygen plant operational beyond the July 31 deadline. The matter was heard on Friday and listed for the coming week.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah agreed to hear the matter after senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Vedanta, mentioned that the court had allowed the oxygen plant operations on April 27 till July 31 in view of the oxygen crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tamil Nadu government, said that he was opposing the petition as the state has enough supply of oxygen.

The apex court during the April hearing had also established that Vedanta shall not be allowed to enter and operate its copper smelting plant under the garb of this order and that permission to operate an oxygen plant would not create any equity in the company's favour.

The move by the Tamil Nadu government comes in the wake of continued tensions between the people of Thoothukudi affected by the environmental and medical damage done by the copper smelting plant and Vedanta. May 22 this year marked the fourth anniversary of the Thoothukudi Massacre when police opened fire into anti-Sterlite protestors killing 13 people including a 17-year-old child and injuring over a 100.