Sterlite plant: Supreme Court quashes Tamil Nadu's plea

The Supreme Court today declined relief to the Tamil Nadu government, which had sought the closing of the Sterlite plant at Tuticorin, and directed that the case will be taken up in second week of July.

The ruling means Sterlite will be able to open its unit as per the order from the National Green Tribubnal.

The Supreme Court said it will wait for the final judgement from the tribunal before taking up the matter.

The Tamil Nadu government had earlier moved the top court against the tribunal order that had directed Sterlite to open the smelter.

The plant, which has a capacity to produce four lakh tonnes of copper annually, was shut on March 30 following an order by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) over an alleged gas leak.

On May 31, the tribunal in an interim cleared the plant and directed that it be opened.