The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court comprising of Justice K K Sasindhran and Justice P D Audikesavalu ordered ‘status quo’ in Sterlite Copper plant case, staying the National Green Tribunal’s permission of reopening it. The court passed the order on a petition filed by activist and politician Fatima Babu who had protested against the reopening of the Sterlite plant.
The National Green Tribunal, on December 15, had set aside the order of AIADMK led Tamil Nandu government’s order of permanently closing down the copper plant directing its owner Vedanta Ltd to spend Rs 100 crore over a period of three years on the welfare of the people in the area. The NGT had termed the order of the State government of closing down the copper smelter plant as unjustified and against the principles of natural justice.
In the affidavit filed by Fatima Babu, an MDMK politician, it was alleged that the NGT did not take into account the findings of the Traun Aggarwal report. The affidavit stated, “The order of the National Green Tribunal suffers from several procedural defects, violates principles of natural justice and is patently wrong on both facts and law and hence by the present Writ petition, I am seeking to set aside the order of the National Green Tribunal dated 15.12.2018 for the following reasons”.
The Bench has sought the response of the Centre, the State Chief Secretary, the CEO of Sterlite and other agencies on the petition. The next hearing on the petition will take place on January 21.
