Vedanta Resources PLC unit Vedanta Ltd. said May 24 that state environmental officials ordered the disconnection of power supply and the closure of the company's Tuticorin copper smelter in South India's Tamil Nadu state, with immediate effect.
Operations at the plant were suspended in late March for 15 days of planned maintenance activity. The company said later that the Tuticorin shutdown was likely to be extended after its application to renew the operating permit was rejected pending "more clarifications" from the company.
Recent reports indicated the smelter would remain shuttered until at least June 6, when the hearing for Tuticorin's license renewal is scheduled.
Reuters reported in a same-day report that Tamil Nadu is seeking a permanent closure of the Tuticorin operations.
The news came after 13 people were killed during protests against a planned expansion of the facility, with police firing on protesters when the demonstration turned violent. The expansion aims to double capacity at the smelter to 800,000 tonnes per year.
"The government's position is very clear, it doesn't want the plant to run," Sandeep Nanduri, the top official of the district where the smelter is located, said after a meeting with senior state officials.
Reuters noted that environmental officials had cut the power supply to the smelter due to the smelter being found preparing to resume production without approval.
"The issue of renewal of consent for the year 2018-2023 has been rejected ... due to noncompliance of certain conditions," according to an order by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. The statement did not elaborate on which conditions the smelter had not met.
Vedanta said it continues to work with the regulatory authorities to ensure compliance with the necessary regulations. The company did not respond to Reuter's request for comment on the claims that it had been preparing to resume production without permission.
