SC lists Sterlite plea for hearing on Nov 29

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has listed the Vedanta group’s plea related to the closure of its Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi for hearing on November 29.

According to an update on the apex court’s website, the plea of the Vedanta group firm will be heard on November 29.

On October 9, a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud had assured the firm’s counsel that it had directed the registrar to allocate “two dedicated dates” for hearing the Vedanta group’s plea. “I am well aware of the situation. I have already directed the registrar to allocate two dedicated dates (for hearing),” the CJI had said. The top court had, in May, asked the Tamil Nadu government to take appropriate decisions in pursuance of its April 10 direction by which it had allowed the Vedanta group to carry out the upkeep of its Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi under the supervision of a local-level monitoring committee.

In its April 10 order, the top court had also allowed the evacuation of the remaining gypsum at the plant and making available the required manpower as requested by the company.

It had noted that the district collector had not recommended activities, such as undertaking a civil and structural safety integrity assessment study on the plant premises, removal and transportation of spares and equipment and evacuation of in-process reverts and other raw materials lying idle.

“As regards the actions which were not recommended by the Collector, CS Vaidyanathan, senior counsel appearing on behalf of Tamil Nadu, stated that the state government will once again evaluate whether any further or supplementary directions should be issued in that regard,” the SC had noted in its April 10 order. The Tamil Nadu government had on May 28, 2018 ordered the state pollution control board to seal and “permanently” close the mining group’s plant following violent protests over pollution concerns.