Vedanta to shut copper smelter in India for about 15 days

A bird flies by the Vedanta office building in Mumbai August 16, 2010. India-focused miner Vedanta Resources said it will buy 51-60 percent of Cairn India for about $8.5-9.6 billion in cash to be funded via debt and cash resources, a move that would represent Vedanta's first foray into oil and gas, and help Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy fund an expensive drilling programme in Greenland. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui (INDIA - Tags: BUSINESS ENERGY) - RTXSAAV

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Vedanta Resources Plc said on Tuesday its India unit Vedanta Ltd's copper smelting operations at Thootukudi, in Tamil Nadu, will be closed for about 15 days as part of a maintenance shutdown.

The news of the maintenance activity, which Vedanta said was earlier scheduled for April, comes amid local media reports that thousands had taken to the streets and shut shops in Thootukudi to protest against the expansion of the smelter.

The refining and copper rod manufacturing operations would continue as usual at the smelter, Vedanta said in a statement. The company did not return calls from Reuters seeking further comment.

The copper smelter, run by Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit, is one of the India's biggest and has been a target of protesters, who call it a major source of pollution and a risk to fisheries.

The plant was shut for more than two months in 2013 after residents complained about emissions. An environmental court later ruled the smelter could operate, but should take extra steps to prevent pollution.