New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Vedanta’s Sterlite plant in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu to produce oxygen, as it is a ‘national need’.
The court said that only the Oxygen plant will be allowed to operate and that the order was passed in view of the national need for oxygen and allowed Vedanta to operate its Sterlite copper unit at Tuticorin to produce oxygen while specifying that only the Oxygen plant will be operational.
Passing the order, the bench clarified, “allowing Vedanta to operate its Oxygen plant would not create any equity in favour of the company.”
The apex court asked the Tamil Nadu government to form a panel to monitor activities at the Vedanta’s copper unit at Tuticorin, which is closed since May 2018.
“Vedanta shall not be allowed to enter, operate copper smelting plant under the garb of this order. There should be no political bickering over generation of oxygen by Vedanta, it’s a national crisis,” the bench specified.
The apex court heard the Vedanta’s plea which sought opening of its Sterlite copper unit at Tuticorin on the ground that it will produce tonnes of oxygen and give it free of cost to treat patients.
Vedanta had sought handing over of the plant for three months saying it requires two months to start the unit and the company should be allowed to run it for four weeks to ascertain whether it’s polluting or not.
