# Tamil Nadu Orders Permanent Closure of Vedanta's Sterlite Copper Plant in Tuticorin

> Tamil Nadu ordered the permanent closure of Vedanta's Sterlite copper plant in Tuticorin after 13 people were killed in protests over pollution concerns.

- Published: 2026-11-06T15:39:53+00:00
- Section: Regulation & Approvals
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-06/tamil-nadu-orders-sterlite-plant-closure
- Source: [NDTV Profit](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/tamil-nadu-orders-permanent-closure-of-sterlite-plant-10431002)

## Key takeaways

- Tamil Nadu ordered the state pollution control board to seal and permanently close Vedanta's copper plant in Tuticorin.
- The order endorsed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's April 9 refusal to renew consent for the smelter to operate.
- Vedanta said it will study the order and decide on its future course of action.

The Tamil Nadu government ordered the state pollution control board to seal and permanently close [Vedanta](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000f88/vedanta) Group's copper plant in Tuticorin, after protests last week left 13 people dead in police firing. [NDTV Profit](https://www.ndtvprofit.com/business/tamil-nadu-orders-permanent-closure-of-sterlite-plant-10431002) reported the order on November 6, 2026. Vedanta is a metals-to-mining conglomerate whose Sterlite Copper unit ran the Tuticorin smelter.

## Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board Ordered To Seal The Plant

Tuticorin District Collector Sandeep Nanduri said the government order had been implemented. "Now the plant is permanently closed," Nanduri said. District officials sealed the copper smelter premises and pasted the order at the main gate.

Chief Minister Palaniswami told reporters in Chennai that the plant had been permanently closed. He said the decision was taken to respect the sentiments of the people. "Peace has returned to the town and it must continue, and people should cooperate with the government. Their demand has been fulfilled by Amma's government," Palaniswami said.

The government order endorsed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board's recent closure direction and asked it to seal the unit and close the plant permanently. The document cited Article 48-A of the Constitution's directive principles on protecting the environment and provisions of the Water Act, 1974, to order the closure in the larger public interest. It referred to the board's order of April 9 refusing to renew consent for the smelter to operate, and recalled the board's May 23 directions for closure and disconnection of power supply, which was cut a day later.

Vedanta called the closure an unfortunate development. "Closure of Sterlite Copper plant is an unfortunate development, especially since, we have operated the plant for over 22 years in most transparent and sustainable way, contributing to the Tuticorin and State's socio-economic development. We will study the order and decide on the future course of action," the company said in a media statement. Environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman welcomed the decision.

## Pollution Enforcement Across Other Companies

Rush Enterprises CEO William Rush said the EPA's final rule on nitrogen oxide standards may not come in November and could arrive in January or February, [Yahoo](https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/waiting-epa-27-rule-rush-212400148.html) reported on November 2, 2026. The rule requires an 80% reduction in NOx emissions to 0.035 g/bhp-hr.

Tube Investments of India received a ₹39 lakh environmental compensation order from the Punjab Pollution Control Board for non-compliance with Consent to Operate conditions under the Water Act, 1974, [ScanX](https://scanx.trade/stock-market-news/companies/tube-investments-receives-39-lakh-penalty-punjab-pollution-control/55176076) reported on November 2, 2026. The order was dated October 27, 2026, and received on November 2, 2026.

Singapore's National Environment Agency appointed FTI Consulting to independently evaluate Golden Agri-Resources' subsidiary Golden Agri International under a November 1, 2026 letter, [The future of trading](https://capital.com/en-int/news/singapore-nea-appoints-independent-assessor-to-evaluate-golden-agri-resources-unit) reported on November 2, 2026. The subsidiary submitted its preliminary response on November 2 to an October 23 notice under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014.

## Vedanta's Next Steps On The Order

Vedanta said it will study the order and decide on its future course of action. The company's statement did not give a date for that decision.

## Companies in this story

- Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board · website: https://tnpcb.gov.in
- [Vedanta company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0000f88/vedanta) · website: http://www.vedantalimited.com

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