Coal news and updates

Govt maintains neutral stand on coal block allocations in SC

The Centre on Monday furnished to the Supreme Court details of 46 coal blocks, either operational or ready to be made functional, while making it clear that the government did not seek any favourable order from the court on saving these blocks out of the 218 mines, which have been held to be allotted in an illegal manner.

Submitting its affidavit, the coal ministry said that the details of the 40 blocks, which are operational and another six which are ready to begin work soon, was being adduced “only by way of information and the central government was not insisting on any particular course of action.”

Out of the 40 functional mines, two are allocated to an ultra mega power project (UMPP), which has not been declared as illegal by the August 25 judgement, it said. These 46 blocks, as per the government, are estimated to produce about 50 million tonnes of coal during 2014-15.

Six out of the 40 operational blocks, however are already under the scanner of the CBI that has registered FIRs and is investigating into the criminality. These six blocks are — Gare Palma IV/4, Gotitoria (East) and (West), Chotia, Marki Mangli-II and III.

The ministry reiterated Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi’s statements to a bench led by Chief Justice RM Lodha on September 1 that the government had no objection to the cancellation of all allocations, declared as illegal, and that it would want to bring the whole controversy to an end as soon as possible.

In its affidavit, the ministry also sought certain orders from the court. It pointed out how titles to lands have been acquired by entities, which had been allocated mining rights, but they were now out in view of the court verdict. For a fresh allocatee to regain the title of the land from the previous owner, the affidavit said, the original allocatee may be directed to re-convey the land to the government on payment of the purchase price of the land. The ministry also pleaded for appropriate orders with respect of the bank guarantee by the original allocatees of the coal blocks.

The bench will hear the matter on Tuesday.

Source: The Indian Express