NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's top copper smelter is likely to re-open on Sunday after a shutdown of over two months, two sources said on Friday, when a court-appointed panel will visit to oversee its restart.
The Supreme Court said on June 10 the smelter could re-open as scheduled and an earlier court had said that should be in the presence of an expert panel, ahead of a hearing for an appeal against its re-start.
A company source told Reuters on Friday that power for the smelter had been turned on. This source and one from the local pollution board said the court-appointed panel would visit the smelter on Sunday and the plant would re-open then.
The smelter was shut on March 30 after nearby residents complained of emissions that led to breathing problems but an environmental court said on May 31 it could re-open.
Its closure had squeezed domestic supplies and boosted imports and prices.
(Reporting by Krishna Das; Writing by Jo Winterbottom; Editing by Mayank Bhardwaj)