March 10, 2022: A court in India has again extended an interim suspension of orders seeking to close production plants operated by Amara Raja Batteries, the company said in a regulatory statement issued by the company on March 7.

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board had issued closure orders in 2021 for the lead battery group’s plants at Karakambadi, Tirupati and Nunegundlapalli, in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh state, amid allegations involving environmental regulations.

However, the Andhra Pradesh High Court issued the further suspension of the orders — scheduling another hearing to be held into the matter on March 11.

Amara Raja company secretary Vikas Sabharwal said in the regulatory statement that Amara Raja continued to “place the highest priority on the environment, health and safety” of its workforce and communities around its plants.

The High Court has suspended the closure orders at several hearings since early last year, after Amara Raja warned last May that closures of any of its facilities could have a ‘calamitous’ impact on back-up power supplies for India’s hospitals and other essential services.