The Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with an NGT order to set up an experts committee to study the impact of Vedanta's copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu on the environment. The state government ordered the closure of the plant on May 22, prompting the company to approach the tribunal.

The tribunal had on August 20 set up the committee headed by a retired Judge to visit the smelting plant in Tuticorin, gather technical data and submit a report. The Tamil Nadu government challenged the setting up of the committee in the Supreme Court, contending that company's plea in NGT was not maintainable. Vedanta should have gone to the Madras High Court, not NGT, the state pleaded.