13 people died last week when police took the case in their hand and started firing in Thoothukudi.
Sterlite Copper, the Vedanta Group’s copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi, was sealed on Monday evening, right after the Tamil Nadu environment and Forests Department issued a two-page Government Order for its “permanent” closure. Vedanta termed the decision “unfortunate.”
“The decision to close the plant was arrived at upon consideration of the interests and sentiments of the people of Thoothukudi,” said chief minister Edapaddi Palaniswami speaking to reporters in Chennai.
Shares of Vedanta closed 0.48% higher on Monday at Rs 253.10. The stock had fallen to a 10-month low on May 23 and had been recovering since.
The order to close the plant was issued after a meeting top of ministers including deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam who visited the bereaved as well as those injured in last week’s police firing and senior bureaucrats.
