Union coal ministry has issued notices to companies which are yet to start production at a total of 61 coal blocks given to them, threatening to deallocate them within a month’s time unless proved progress made been made in mining there.
Bhushan Group tops the list with five mines given to its group outfits either as on sole or joint basis. The list includes corporate entities (given singly or jointly) like Tata Steel with two blocks, Tata Power (two), ArcelorMittal (two), Hindalco (two), Jindal Steel and Power (three), Monnet Ispat (three) Essar Power (three), GVK Power (two) and Rungta Mines (three).
JSW Steel, Essar Power, Adani Power, Tata Power, GVK Power & Infrastructure, UltraTech Cement, ACC Cement, Prism Cement, Reliance Energy, Sterlite Energy and Jaiprakash Associates, Abhijeet Infrastructure, AMR Iron and Steel, SKS Ispat & Power, Jai Balaji, CESC, Usha Martin also figure.
“It has been decided by the government to review the captive coal blocks allocated to private companies for specific end-use, based on the recommendation of the screening committee, which have not come under production on the basis of certain specific criteria,” a letter issued by director S K Shahi said.
According to such criteria, mines would be deallocated if found that environment and forest clearances have not been received, prospective licence have not been procured or geological reports have not been prepared.
The decision comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court raising questions about the parameters followed by the screening committee in coal block allocation.
“Three weeks’ time (up to February 5) would be given to allocatees to obtain the requisite approval and produce documents as proof in support and within a week thereafter a decision for de-allocation would be taken, the letter said.
The environment and forest ministry as well as state governments concerned have also been asked to respond within the deadline.
The notice supersedes any previous directive which may have been issued Inter Ministerial Group that has been recommending on deallocation due to delays.
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