The Madras High Court has recently ordered the authorities to implement an immediate closure of Sterlite Industries' plant in Tuticorin. It is to be mentioned here that the decision is surely a blow for the Vedanta Group's operations in the domestic market.

For the record, Justice Elipe Dharmarao and Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar passed a verdict that the plant of the company is contributing to the rising pollution levels of the country and will eventually affect workers and hence, it is better to close to the plant.

It may be noted here that Sterlite is 59% owned by the London-listed Vedanta.

Moreover, the court also said that with a view to safeguard the rights of the employees, the company will have to pay the compensation to its 1,000 direct workers and 1,500 indirect workers. However, Sterlite said that it is still awaiting for the full text of the order after which it will be taking a call on the necessary measures.

The plant in the southern region of the country was set up with a cost of close to Rs. 1,3000 crore and it was originally planned to come up in Maharashtra but after the opposition from the environmental lobbies, it was forced to call off the deal.