'Plant Shall Be Operated Only To Produce Oxygen': SC Gives Nod To Vedanta's Sterlite Copper Plant

The plant is only allowed to manufacture oxygen all other units will remain shut as per order. Electricity will be provided by the state.

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Chennai: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave approval to Vedanta to operate the oxygen production unit at its Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.

"The plant shall be operated & only produce oxygen & for no other purpose," says Justice DY Chandrachud.

The apex court also said, "Vedanta shall not be allowed to enter and operate the copper smelting plant under the garb of this order. The role of the committee to be nominated by the state government has to be an oversight committee. Before allowing any worker to enter, Vedanta has to submit a list of technical and non-technical staff who are absolutely essential to run the plant with the committee and those names will be approved and will be allowed entry."

According to ANI, Supreme Court on Tuesday started hearing suo motu case of oxygen shortage & other issues related to the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told SC: "My request is simple. I am not concerned with the dispute between State and Vedanta. There is a facility available and the facility is unutilized. Whatever oxygen is manufactured should be for health purposes and be given to Centre and allocated to every state too."

During the hearing, counsel appearing for the Tamil Nadu government expressed the need for members of the local community to be included in the committee that will oversee the functioning of the oxygen-producing plant.

Offering a solution to this, the Court said that it would ask National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) to nominate three experts from Tamil Nadu. Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the local community that conducted protests at the Sterlite plant, can choose two members, the Court said.

The unit was sealed by the state government in May 2018, days after 13 agitators were killed in police firing during a violent anti-Sterlite protest in the southern district.

On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami-chaired an all-party meeting which was attended by main opposition party DMK among others and decided to allow Sterlite to produce oxygen from its plant in Tuticorin, days after Vedanta moved the Supreme Court in this connection. 

Vedanta's Sterlite Industries will produce oxygen for a period of four months amid surging Covid cases in the country which may be extended later.