Vedanta Ltd, whose Sterlite Tuticorin copper plant was shut down over serious environmental violations, has offered to ‘give oxygen for free’ amid the Covid-19 crisis across the country if the plant is allowed to reopen in Tamil Nadu.

Senior advocate Harish Salve and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing before the Supreme Court on Thursday, sought urgent hearing of Vedanta’s plea.

The Tamil Nadu government had in 2018 ordered permanent closure of the Sterlite plant and disconnected power supply following protests over alleged pollution that turned violent and culminated in the police opening fire on protesters, killing 13 of them.

Salve told to Supreme Court that, ’Vedanta has a copper plant. We are not asking for the reopening of the copper plant. We are asking for relief as we have an oxygen plant in the copper plant premises. 1,000 tones of oxygen per day can be manufactured there. We are ready to give this for free’.

Meanwhile, The court has agreed to hear the Vedanta plea again on Friday and has asked the Centre and Tamil Nadu governments to give their response on the plea.