Hearing on Sterlite copper smelter deferred until Friday

A fast-track environmental court has adjourned until Friday a hearing into the closure of India's largest copper smelter, run by Sterlite Industries Ltd , a lawyer said on Tuesday.

State authorities ordered the closure of the plant, which produces more than 300,000 tonnes of the metal a year on March 29 after nearby residents complained about emissions.

Sterlite, a unit of London-listed resources conglomerate Vedanta Resources Plc , has said the plant's emissions fell within agreed limits.

It declared force majeure on copper sales and condensate purchases on April 3. Force majeure is a contract clause that allows a company to miss shipments in circumstances beyond its control.