The Supreme Court today permitted mining giant Vedanta to operate its Tuticorin Sterlite plant in Tamil Nadu for making oxygen only. “We are inclined to allow Vedanta’s prayer to operate the oxygen plant as a standalone unit. The order is passed only given the national need for Oxygen. The order will not create any equities in favour of Vedanta,” stated Justice DY Chandrachud when hearing the case.
Justice DY Chandrachud stated that Vedanta shall not be permitted to enter and operate the copper smelting plant beneath the garb of this order. The SC also asked the Tamil Nadu Government to kind a panel to monitor activities at Vedanta’s oxygen plant. “Role of the committee to be nominated by the state government has to be in nature of oversight committee….Tamil Nadu government will form a committee to monitor Vedanta with Tuticorin District Collector, Tuticorin SP, District Environmental Engineer, Tuticorin Sub-Collector and two government officials with knowledge of the affairs,” it stated.
The court noted that the committee formed can seek the advice of with the neighborhood neighborhood members to assuage any genuine concern. “This order will continue to hold ground till July 31, 2021 and then see what is the ground situation with respect to COVID-19,” the apex court noted.
It also asked the Ministry of Environment to kind a 3 member panel of 3 environmental authorities from Tamil Nadu. “The victims of Vedanta can choose two out of them to be in the committee. If the victims fail to nominate within 48 hours, the state should nominate two members,” stated the court.
Yesterday, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to enable Vedanta to temporarily reopen its oxygen plant for 4 months in view of the shortage of oxygen in the nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre stated that what ever oxygen is manufactured really should be for wellness purposes and be provided to the centre and allocated to every single state also when Tamil Nadu contended that priority really should be provided to the state and only surplus oxygen be provided out to any other state.