Victory For Sterlite Copper: Madras HC Stays TN Government’s Plan To Withdraw Land Allotted For Expansion

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has stayed a move by the Tami Nadu Industrial Promotion Corporation withdrawing land allotted to Vedanta Ltd to expand its Sterlite Copper factory in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, Economic Times has reported.

A stay was ordered by Judge V Parthiban in connection to the withdrawal of land allotted to Sterlite Copper. The company also obtained an injunction preventing the industries promotion board not to execute further orders against Sterlite Copper according to a legal counsel.

"The matter has been posted again for late October," the Counsel said.

The withdrawal of land allotted was among the many hurdles facing the copper producer with it also battling a case seeking to vacate a stay on the environmental clearance to set up the second phase of expansion.

This petition made by Sterlite seeking to vacate a stay on the environmental clearance obtained by Anti-Sterlite campaigner Fatima Babu remains pending in court while the state pollution board also withdrew consent for land allotted with regards to the second expansion.

Sterlite had faced stiff opposition to expand the capacity of the plant, which has been facing allegations of polluting air and ground water around its area of operation. Following the death of 13 people in a police firing to quell crowds in a massive agitation against the factory, the state government issued a government order shutting down the factory.