CHENNAI: State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Nadu (SIPCOT) cancelled the land which was to be allotted to the Vedanta Industries Limited for Phase II in Tuticorin on Tuesday following a day after Tamil Nadu government decision in which it issued an order to shut down Sterlite copper unit permanently.

According to TOI, in an order issued Tuesday morning, the SIPCOT managing director K Srinivasan noted series of agitations and protests in opposition to the establishment of the plant at SIPCOT industrial complex, uttering concerns about the pollution caused by the existing plant of Vedanta Limited.

The people of the vicinity have also been raising “alarming protest” about their health on the subject operations of the plant.

“As the allotment of the land for the proposed expansion has been made by SIPCOT, in larger public interest, the land allotment made by SIPCOT for proposed expansion of Copper Smelter Plant (phase II) by M/s Vedanta Limited is hereby cancelled," the issued order read .

Earlier today, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) TK Rajendran transferred the case to Crime-Branch Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID). Tamil Nadu DGP TK Rajendran also visited Thoothukudi yesterday and condemned the police firing on the protesters in the wake of anti-Sterlite protests last Tuesday.

Prior to this, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court had ruled that Vedanta to stop construction for its second unit of the copper smelting plant at Thoothukudi straight away. SIPCOT managing director K Srinivasan raised concerns on the establishment of the plant which mortifying the environment and badly increasing the pollution levels in the region.

The land price collected for the land allotment will be repaid as per norms of SIPCOT.