CHENNAI: MDMK general secretary Vaiko met Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at the secretariat on Wednesday and submitted a representation to reject any proposal by Vedanta Limited or Sterlite Copper to revive its operations in Thoothukudi under the pretext of “Green Copper” or any other name.
Later while talking to reporters, in response to a query whether MDMK would continue in the DMK-led alliance or shift to the TVK-led alliance ahead of the by-election, Vaiko said discussions would be held at the party’s general council meeting on June 27, and a stand would be decided there.
In his representation to the CM, Vaiko said Vedanta was attempting to restart activities at the Sterlite site by proposing the manufacture of “Green Copper” using recycled copper scrap. He noted that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had already rejected the company’s request on January 27, 2026, and argued that merely changing the name of the project cannot erase its past.
Vaiko urged the government and statutory authorities, including TNPCB, not to grant any approval, licence, consent or clearance for the proposed project. He further requested the state government to effectively pursue all pending cases related to the issue before courts and tribunals in order to protect and enforce the existing closure orders.
He said the closure of the Sterlite plant was upheld by both the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court and any attempt to restart similar operations under a different name would go against the spirit of those orders.
