Following the permanent shutdown of the Sterlite Copper smelter plant by Supreme Court orders over environmental violations, local unions and activist associations have agitated for its reopening to address unemployment, though their planned mass demonstration was denied permission by authorities.

On December 20, 2024, the court-ordered closure of Sterlite Copper's plant in Thoothukudi led to significant job losses and disrupted India’s copper exports. In the aftermath, the Vedanta group (parent of Sterlite Copper) signed a memorandum of understanding to invest $2 billion in major copper projects in Saudi Arabia, a move seen as aligning with authoritarian regimes and neglecting local labor concerns.

On 29 February 2024, India's Supreme Court upheld previous rulings to keep the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi closed, citing persistent environmental violations, including failure to remove copper slag from multiple sites and improper hazardous waste disposal, which have had adverse impacts on the local community and human rights.

The Supreme Court upheld the closure of the Sterlite Copper Plant in Thoothukudi due to environmental violations, leading to significant public outcry, job losses, and broader economic impact on local communities.

In Tuticorin on May 22, 2018, protests against Sterlite Copper’s environmental practices escalated into violence when police firing resulted in the deaths of 9 protesters. Political leaders and community activists harshly criticized the company's apparent neglect of community and environmental responsibilities, alleging a long history of harmful practices that ignited public outrage.

Following massive protests over alleged environmental hazards and violations of regulations, the Tamil Nadu state government shut down the Sterlite Copper plant. The incident involved extensive public outcry and police action that resulted in ten deaths, highlighting the company's disregard for environmental and community safety despite its role in local employment.

A remembrance event in Thoothukudi marked the seventh anniversary of the May 22, 2018 police firing on protestors opposing the Sterlite Copper plant. The incident, remembered as a dark moment where state force was allegedly used to protect corporate interests, continues to fuel debates on corporate accountability and the use of repressive measures in safeguarding profit-driven operations.

The Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi, owned by Vedanta Limited, has been at the center of a prolonged controversy involving severe environmental pollution, health hazards from toxic emissions, and a tragic police firing during protests on May 22, 2018 that resulted in 13 protestor deaths and led to the plant's shutdown.