The Tamil Nadu government today cancelled the land allotment to the Vedanta group's copper plant in Tuticorin, while the killing of 13 people in police firing there resonated in the state assembly, with opposition DMK deciding to boycott the proceedings until the unit was "permanently shut".
The police department, meanwhile, transferred the case involving last week's police firing that led to the deaths to the CB-CID, a senior official told PTI.
The cancellation of land allotment for the proposed expansion of the Sterlite Copper plant came a day after the government ordered the state Pollution Control Board to "seal and permanently close" the existing unit.
"As the allotment of 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-2) by Vedanta Ltd is hereby cancelled," SIPCOT said in its communication to the Vedanta group.
In its filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange, the Vedanta group apprised it of the development.
An official release here said, "The cancellation of allotment of 342.22 acres of land has been made in larger public interest and this has been communicated to the company."
After the DMK members had walked out, Palaniswami said, "In unavoidable circumstances, police personnel were forced to take action."
He said a Commission of Inquiry has been constituted under retired Madras High Court judge Aruna Jagadeesan to go into the incidents in Tuticorin, and "appropriate action will be taken against those who had committed wrong, whoever they may be."