A plea filed by Vedanta sought permission to reopen a copper plant in Madras to supply oxygen free of cost to help the country during this period of shortage of oxygen.
The submissions made by advocate general of Tamil Nadu drew the attention of the bench. The submissions stated that Tamil Nadu was an ‘oxygen sufficient’ state hence, it has more oxygen than it needs, so there is no need for such a plant.
“The whole point of this is that people all over the country are in dire need of oxygen! Being surplus in oxygen is not any kind of reasoning, just because there is a problem in Vedanta, you won’t manufacture oxygen? And let people die? I have never heard of such an argument from a state government,” the CJI stated.
“We want oxygen produced for the country, the country is in need of oxygen, people are dying due to lack of it,” he further observed.
The CJI also stated that there needs to be something concrete said. The people are losing their lives due to lack of oxygen and oxygen needs to be manufactured if people are in need of it.
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves appearing for the families affected by the plant stated that people have suffered because of the plant. Some of the people have died as well, some have suffered from cancer due to its toxic fumes and gasses.
Copper manufacturer Vedanta ltd. has moved an urgent application before the SC seeking permission to reopen the plant in Tamil Nadu.
