Sterlite approaches Supreme Court to stay plant closure order

Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

CHENNAI - Sterlite Industries, part of the London-based Vedanta Resources, has approached the Supreme Court to stay the Madras High Courts order closing its copper smelter plant in Tuticorin with immediate effect.

Also, the company has filed a review petition in the High Court seeking three weeks time to implement its order, saying the plant producing sulphuric and phosphoric acid cannot be shut down instantly.

\”The company has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court to stay the High Court\’s closure order. We have also filed a review petition before the High Court to give three weeks time to comply with its closure order,\” Iyer Sundar Raj, public relations head, told IANS over phone from Tuticorin.

He reiterated the company\’s resolve to seek all legal remedies so that the 400,000 tonne per annum (tpa) plant starts functioning as before.

What is encouraging is the support from employees, general public and others for the continuance of the plant. Posters have come up in Tuticorin in support of the plant, said Raj.

Asked whether the National Trust for Clean Environment (NTCE) plans to file a contempt of court petition against Sterlite for operating the plant despite the closure order, NTCE counsel G. Ramapriya told IANS: We do not have any such