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Coal mining in Chhattisgarh: Plea transferred to green panel

A petition over a dispute among villagers of Dharamjaigarh Nagar Panchayat, Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh over coal mining and DB Power Ltd has been transferred to National Green Tribunal (NGT) central zonal bench from Chhattisgarh high court. After a hearing on Friday, the case would be heard again on August 28.

DB power had initially sought to acquire 693.2 hectares of land for an open cast coal mine in Raigarh district. According to petitioner Sajal Kumar Madhu, approximately 141 hectares of land falls in the municipal boundaries of Dharamjaigarh Township.

"It was later reduced to 540 hectares in a revised mining plan," he said.

However, petitioner claimed before the NGT that land of Nagar Panchayat Dharamjaigarh is still included in mining area in violation of the affidavit.

The NGT bench comprising judicial member Justice U D Salvi and expert member P S Rao on Friday said the area which has been left by the corporation needs to be identified.

The petition was moved originally in 2011 as the grievance was that the corporation in an affidavit prior to statutory public hearing for grant of environmental clearance for an open cast coal mine had stated that no mining would be carried out in the area of Nagar Panchayat Dharamjaigarh in Chhattisgarh. The coal is intended for a 1320 MW power plant in neighbouring district of Janjgir-Champa.

"Also, a bundle of issues on facts and law are required to be heard at length."

The writ petition filed in the Chhattisgarh high court had accused the company of adopting "deliberate, illegal and manipulative" measures to influence the outcome of a public hearing held to assess the impact of the proposed open cast coal mine.

Source: The Times of India