HC begins hearing on Vedanta plea against Tuticorin plant closure

Chennai: After a three-month gap, the Madras High Court on Monday resumed hearing pleas moved by Vedanta-owned Sterlite Copper challenging closure of its copper smelter unit in Tuticorin.

Opposing the decision of the state government to order closure of the copper smelter unit, senior counsel Aryama Sundaram contended it was ill-motivated and the government has not issued any direction to clear the alleged pollution committed by the unit.

But if Vedanta comes to court asking to be allowed to maintain the plant, the state objects to that as well, he added.

"The entire arguments made by the state against Sterlite are made based on outdated reports. All their arguments were without any documentary basis. When the court ask for documents, it gives reports of 1997, 2002, and 2004 to substantiate their claim," he contended.

All allegations made on the basis of such reports were already considered by the Supreme Court in 2013 and the same cannot be re-agitated now before the high court that too when the law itself has changed, Vedanta's counsel said.