Tamil Nadu moves Supreme Court against reopening of Thoothukodi Sterlite Plant

Tamil Nadu Government has moved the Supreme Court against the order of National Green Tribunal (NGT), which had allowed the re-opening of the Sterlite Copper Plant at Thoothukodi..In December last year, the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal had allowed Vedanta’s appeal against the closure of its Sterlite Plant at Thoothukodi..The Tribunal found that the closure orders by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) were disproportionate and could ‘hardly be sustainable’..Thoothukodi was in the limelight last year for witnessing widespread protests which turned violent after Vedanta announced that it would expand its Sterlite Plant..The protests gained such a magnitude that the police had to open fire on unarmed civilians, leading to thirteen fatalities..Soon, the TNPCB directed the closure of the plant, which was endorsed by the State Government..The NGT, while lifting the closure order, relied upon the report submitted by an inspection committee headed by retired Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, Tarun Agarwala..The committee had submitted before the NGT that the closure of the Sterlite Copper Plant was not necessary. It also recommended that Vedanta follow certain measures aimed at better monitoring of environmental parameters and improved functionality of the Sterlite Copper Plant..The matter would be listed for hearing soon..Story to be updated.