SC seeks 'way forward' from TN on restarting Sterlite plant

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Tamil Nadu and it's pollution control board to suggest a "way forward" to restart the Sterlite copper smelting plant owned by Vedanta in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi. "You are shutting down an industry. We are not a banana republic. We are a republic governed by the rule of law," said the bench.

- Utkarsh Anand

The plant by Sterlite Copper, the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, a global mining and metals conglomerate, has remained shut since 2018 over alleged violation of environmental norms and protests by the locals against its operation.

"The national interest cannot be overlooked. As it is, there are only a few copper smelters in the country. The nation should not lose this asset...suggest a way forward. The easiest thing is to shut a plant. But we want you to suggest a way forward as to what would subserve the public interest best," a bench, headed by CJI Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, asked the senior counsel appearing for the Tamil Nadu government and the state pollution control board. According to the bench that also comprised justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, the state and the pollution board should propose a way out instead of the court "shoving an order down everybody's throat".