Vedanta Seconds Supreme Court's Panel Proposal For Sterlite Copper Plant Revival

In line with the Supreme Court's proposal to set up an expert panel to look into whether the Sterlite Copper plant in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi can be reopened or not, Vedanta Ltd. has also proposed to appoint a committee of experts as a way forward.

In a note filed before the top court, a copy of which has been accessed by NDTV Profit, the mining giant has proposed to set up a committee of experts comprising representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, the Central Pollution Control Board, IIT, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Vedanta, and three independent experts.

It has further been pleaded that this expert committee be chaired by a retired justice of the top court.

Vedanta has requested that the expert committee report be submitted within one month of its constitution.

"The remit of the committee would be to make recommendations and suggest conditions for the resumption of operations at Vedanta's copper smelter, including additional environmental safeguards if required," the note said.

It has also been proposed that, pending the committee's report, Vedanta may be permitted to carry out refurbishment, repair and maintenance of the unit at its own risk and cost. This work, however, will not involve any production activity.

Lastly, it has been proposed that all expenses of the committee be borne by Vedanta.

During the last hearing, the top court proposed setting up an expert panel to look into the plant's viability.

The copper smelter was completely shut down in 2018, following the Tamil Nadu government's order to seal and permanently close it after 13 people were killed in police firing during a protest against the unit.

The protests were concerned with the expansion of the plant and accompanying environmental concerns.

At its apex capacity, Sterlite Copper in Thoothukudi district accounted for nearly half of India's copper output.