Chennai, May 24: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami said on Thursday that his government was taking all steps to close the Sterlite factory at Thoothukudi after 13 people were killed in protests against it.

Palaniswami told the media that the AIADMK government was taking the legal route to ensure that the Sterlite Copper Smelter plant was shut down.

He said people in the region had been protesting peacefully for long against the company, alleging that it was causing health hazards and depleting the water table, but this time the opposition and "anti-social elements" had turned the movement violent.

"It is because of this instigation that so many people have died. And we are really saddened by the deaths," he said.

He added that in April Sterlite approached the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to continue running the factory but the permission was denied.

But the management got a favourable order from the National Green Tribunal. The Tamil Nadu government had moved the Supreme Court against the NGT ruling.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 24, 2018 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).