Copper plant: SC reserves verdict on TN's plea against NGT order

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's plea against December 15, 2018, National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order asking it to give its consent to Vedanta for restarting operations at its copper smelting plant in Thoothukudi.

The bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice Navin Sinha reserved the order upon the competition arguments which saw TNPCB telling the court that the copper smelting plant which was the cause of near irreversible ground water pollution can't be allowed to resume operation.

On the other hand, Vedanta described as "political" the decision to put the plant under the lock.

The copper smelting plant was shut down permanently on May 28, 2018, in the wake of violent incidents that claimed many lives. Reserving the order, the court gave both the parties time till February 11 to file their written submissions.

Coupled with TNPCB and TN government's plea was an application by Vedanta seeking direction to the state government to take steps, including restoration of electricity to the plant as directed by the green tribunal for the plant to commence its a operation.

The order was reserved today on the conclusion of the hearing that lasted for two weeks.

--IANS

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