NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday proposed a panel of domain experts to inspect the closed Sterlite copper unit in Thoothukudi and suggest further compliances and way forward, saying shutting down a plant of “national importance” will not serve anybody’s purpose.

The plant is closed since May 2018 after 13 people were killed as police opened fire to quell a protest over alleged pollution.

The top court, while hearing a plea by the Vedanta group company, mooted the idea of setting up of a panel of experts and sought views of the firm, the Tamil Nadu government and the state pollution control board.

“Ultimately, shutting down the plant of national importance will not serve anybody’s purpose,” a bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said.

The bench, however, made it clear that it cannot grant nod to the firm to “refurbish” the plant as an interim order.