Operated unit in transparent, sustainable way: Vedanta on Sterlite Copper plant closure

A private security guard stands in front of the main gate of Sterlite Industries Ltd's copper plant in Tuticorin

The Sterlite Copper plant was sealed today by Thoothukudi District Collector, Sandeep Nanduri. Vedanta  has termed the permanent closure of the copper smelter an unfortunate incident, saying that they will determine future course of action after going through the order.

The Anil Agarwal-led company said it operated the plant in a transparent and sustainable way. “The closure of Sterlite Copper plant is an unfortunate development, especially since, we have operated the plant for over 22 years in most transparent and sustainable way, contributing to the Tuticorin and State’s socio-economic development. We will study the order and decide on the future course of action,” Vedanta said in a statement.

"We are further studying the order and shall keep the stock exchanges updated on any developments," Vedanta said in a filing to the exchanges late in the evening.

Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had asserted that "Amma's government" will take resolute steps for the permanent closure of Vedanta group's copper plant. "Today, the main demand of the people is that the copper plant should be permanently closed. In keeping with their demand, it is shut now. I would like to make it clear that Sterlite plant will be permanently shut," he had announced. Panneerselvam had declared that the government was ready to face legal challenges also for the permanent closure of the copper smelter in Tuticorin.

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan welcomed the move, calling it “a victory of the might of the people”.

“All political parties should humble themselves before this victory of the people; salute the martyrs and learn from them,” he added in a tweet.

Haasan was also quick to point out Tamil Nadu government’s insensitivity in containing the protests, saying that the protests had been happening for the past 100 days and had the authorities been prompt to react, lives would not have been lost in the process.

Rajinikanth, who hasn't yet made a formal entry into politics, said that the victory should be dedicated to the people who lost their lives during the protests. “I pray to the Almighty that protests of such nature never happen again in Tamil Nadu,” he added.

DMK’s working president MK Stalin, however, was critical of the move, calling it a “mere eyewash”. He said that had the government announced the closure of the plant before the death of 13 persons, the move would have been worthy of appreciation.

Large-scale violence on May 12 during the mass protest against the Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin and subsequent police firing had led to the death of 12 persons and the next day saw one more youth succumbing to injuries sustained in police firing.

Sterlite Copper is a unit of Vedanta Ltd which operates a 400,000-tonne per annum capacity plant in Tuticorin.