Vedanta sticks with plan to expand Sterlite operations in Tamil Nadu

London-listed Vedanta Resources hopes to restart its Sterlite copper smelter in Tamil Nadu and still wants to double its capacity despite protests demanding its closure that killed 13 people this week, a company executive said on Friday.

The company's position comes a day after the state said it was seeking a permanent closure of the plant due to allegations that it pollutes the air and water of the locality.

"We're not in that stage to look at setting up a plant elsewhere," P Ramnath, chief executive of Vedanta's India copper business, said in an interview. "We're confident that we will be able to overcome these issues." The plant in Thoothukudi has been shut since late March for maintenance and pending a renewal of its licence, even as locals continued peaceful protests demanding its permanent shutdown.

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