Coal news and updates

MoC seeks details from block allocatees for filing affidavit

September 2: The Ministry of Coal (MoC) has, by September 3, sought details, including investments made, from the allocatees of 40 coal blocks which have come under production so far and six other allocatees whose blocks are likely to come to operation in 2014-15, as part of its preparation for filing an affidavit before the Supreme Court in the case related to M L Sharma vs Prl Secretary & others (WP (Crl). 120/2012 regarding alleged irregularities in coal block allocations.

The details were sought following a directive from the Supreme Court on September 1, after the ministry urged the apex court the same day to exempt 46 coal blocks from the purview of its ruling, declaring all the blocks allocated since 1993 as “illegal”.

The allocatees have been asked to provide 11 details - name of the coal block with allocation date, date of grant of mining lease, date of commencement of production in coal block, investment in the block (in Rs, crore), coal production during 2013-14, coal production since commencement of mining (year-wise and cumulative), details of linked end-use plant (EUP), linked EUP already commissioned, date of commence of production from linked EUP, production from linked EUP since commencement and investment in linked EUP (in Rs crore) – by September 3, 2014 (forenoon) positively.

The letter issued by Director (Coal) S K Shahi said that the information supplied from the allocatees will form part of the affidavit to be filed by the government before the Supreme Court and therefore furnishing any misleading or false information may invite penal action as per law.

The companies whose blocks are likely to be operational in 2014-15 and which have been issued letters are GVK Power (Govindwal Sahid) for its Tokisund North block, DVC  for Khagra Joydev block, Prism Cement for Sial Ghogri block, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd for Mandla north block, MPSMCL for Bicharpur block and NTPC for its Pakri Barwadih block.

Following are details of coal blocks that have already come to operation and companies which have been issued the letter on September 1: