SC rejects Vedanta's early hearing plea in Tuticorin case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today rejected Vedanta's plea for an early hearing in the Sterlite plant case. The copper smelter at Tamil Nadu's Tuticorin has remained shut since the death of several protestors in police firing.Vedanta Ltd on April 11 moved the Supreme Court for access to closed copper plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, for repair and maintenance. It cited the high court’s ‘inordinate delay’ in hearing the case and quantified loss at Rs 5 crore daily.The top court had earlier this year directed the company to move the Madras High Court against a Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board order that shut it down, after setting aside an NGT order which had directed that it be reopened subject to taking all safeguards.In Feb this year, the Supreme Court had refused to allow Vedanta to restart the controversial plant, which was at the centre of protests over pollution worries.Vedanta claimed it had informed the high court about the lack of maintenance at the facility, which posed major environmental hazards. Lack of maintenance of assets has resulted in a loss of over Rs 100 crore, it said.

from Economic Times http://bit.ly/2VDW6yn