An India court on Friday (21) said that mining giant Vedanta can’t restart its copper smelter in country’s Tamil Nadu state until it hears a case challenging a ruling by country’s environment court, National Green Tribunal (NGT) in favour of Vedanta.
The copper smelter located at Tuticorin, a coastal town in India’s Southern state, Tamil Nadu was ordered to close by Tamil Nadu state government over alleged environment pollution which caused to violent protests in May 2018 which ended in police firing on the demonstrators killing 13 innocent leaves.
The current case was registered in the Madras High Court by anti-Vedanta activist Fatima Babu, challenging a ruling by NGT which set aside the state government’s order which shut the plant.
The activist in her plea accused the NGT for not giving an opportunity to some of the petitioners to raise their voice inconnection with the case. The court has adjourned its hearing on Fatima’s plea to January 21.
Meanwhile Vedanta said that it will appeal to the India’s top court Supreme Court to ask the tribunal’s order to be implemented.
