A NGT bench headed by Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel on Tuesday granted permission to Vedanta Ltd to remove hazardous substance containing Sulphur from its copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu.

The bench gave the order after being informed by the Vedanta’s counsel that the company should be given access to the plant so that the hazardous substance lying in the plant could be removed. Counsel said that hazardous substance contained Sulphur and if left unattended could catch fire.

Earlier, the green panel had form a committee to visit the plant and submit a report to decide whether to permit Vedanta Ltd to open its Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin which was shut down by the Tamil Nadu government on environmental grounds.

—India Legal Bureau