Urging the Tamil Nadu government to ensure early reopening of Sterlite Copper, workers and contract labourers of the unit staged a dharna here on Friday.

After the NGT favoured reopening the plant, which remains closed after the anti-Sterlite protest witnessed the murder of 13 persons in police firing, the Supreme Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to provide power supply to the unit. Since the orders of the NGT and the Supreme Court are yet to be implemented, the Sterlite Copper workers, accompanied by the contract labourers, staged a dharna in front of the factory in SIPCOT Industrial Estate on Friday.

Though they gave up the agitation after the police pacified them, they said that they would begin indefinite fast from Monday if the government refused to remove the seal at the entrance and restore power supply to the factory.

Meanwhile, 12 associations, including shipping agencies, lorry owners’ associations, which were getting significant business when Sterlite Copper was open, have announced that they would strike work soon condemning the “lethargic attitude” of the Tamil Nadu government in implementing the NGT and SC orders.