THOOTHUKUDI: A mass signature campaign has begun taking shape across Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district, several locals expressing support for the reopening of the Sterlite Copper plant, citing prolonged livelihood losses since the facility's closure in 2018.
The Sterlite Action Council, an action group comprising local workers, transporters, fisherfolk, and small traders, is spearheading the signature campaign, and the petition will be submitted to the state and Central governments, and other concerned stakeholders, the group said in a statement.
The petition seeks the reopening of the plant under a proposed green copper framework that supporters say addresses earlier environmental concerns while reviving the region's economy.
The Tamil Nadu government shutdown Vedanta's Sterlite Copper plant in 2018, on the recommendation of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), due to protests over alleged environmental violations.
Recently, Vedanta approached the Madras High Court and filed a petition regarding the establishment of a green copper facility in Tuticorin.
The Madras HC allowed Vedanta's Sterlite Copper unit to file a fresh application before the competent authorities in connection with its green copper plant proposal.
The hearing scheduled for January 29 was adjourned, with the matter now listed for hearing on February 5, 2026.
Since the shutdown of the Sterlite Copper plant, Thoothukudi has witnessed sustained economic distress, particularly among communities directly and indirectly dependent on industrial activity, the statement by the group said.
S Murugan, the joint secretary of the Tuticorin District Lorry Association, said the unit's closure triggered widespread financial hardship.
"The shutdown caused crippling distress for hundreds of transporters and workers linked to the logistics and ancillary ecosystem. While public fears initially sparked the protests, the real issue later became broken assurances and a lack of communication," he said.
Murugan, however, said that the reopening of the unit must be conditional. "The plant should reopen only with firm commitments like strong CSR obligations for local infrastructure and guaranteed direct employment for people from Thoothukudi."
Evlin Victoria, the secretary of the Sinthiyathinai Fishermen Community, said, "Our support is based on a clear framework that protects coastal livelihoods. Reopening must go hand in hand with sustained welfare towards education, healthcare and community development for fishing families."
Echoing the sentiment, Robert Villavarayar, a Tuticorin fishermen community leader and an active member of the action group, said, "We are advocating a comprehensive support built on three pillars: securing livelihoods through periodic fishing kits, ensuring well-being through local education and healthcare, and providing direct financial assistance for coastal development."
Supporters of the campaign say the proposed green copper model, which is focused on cleaner technologies, lower emissions and resource efficiency, offers a pathway to address environmental concerns while restoring livelihoods that have remained disrupted for over six years.