British Tamils protest outside Vedanta chief's home in London

Sterlite, a subsidiary of Agarwal's London Stock Exchange (LSE) listed Vedanta Resources, began construction of a new smelter plant on the edge of the town of Thoothukudi.

However, local residents argue the existing smelter has been polluting their water and air since it was established in 1996. This has allegedly caused respiratory and skin problems, fainting and other illness, especially among children.

"The copper smelter has continued to operate without various permissions, and pollute without remorse, causing a detrimental effect to local health and livelihoods. It is time the British government stopped supporting Sterlite and de-listed Vedanta from the LSE," said Miriam Rose from Foil Vedanta, one of the organisers of the London protest alongside Tamil People in UK and Parai Voice of Freedom.

Carrying traditional Tamil parai drums, dozens of protesters gathered outside the Mayfair home of the Vedanta chief to coincide with major demonstrations in Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.

"Although majority of the Tamil population living in the UK have adopted the British life, local customs and try to blend in with society, they still feel their heart is left in the Tamil land. This absolute disregard to life and irreversible environmental damage to their land brings out strong emotional upheaval hence the support and participation in protests like these, said Karthik from Tamil People in UK.

The plant has been the subject of major protests in the town ever since its foundation stone was laid in Thoothukudi in 1994.