SC notice to cancel coal block allocation to Adani group

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre, States of Rajasthan, Chattisgarh and the joint venture companies floated by the Union of India and Adani group on a PIL seeking cancellation of the coal block allotment.

A three judge Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna issued notice after hearing counsel Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Chattisgrth based social activist Dinesh Kumar Soni. The petitioner brought to the notice of the court that the Joint Venture Company (Parsa Kente Collieries Ltd.) between a State PSU (M/s Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd) and a private company (M/s Adani Mining Private Limited) which is still in operation in violation of the apex court verdict.

The PIL sought a direction to the Union of India to cancel the allocation of the PEKB, Parsa, Kente Extension coal blocks allotted to RRVUNL for contravention of Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act 2015 and Coal Block Judgment of this Court. It also sought a direction to the RRVUNL to cancel the Joint Venture and Coal Mining Delivery Agreement with AEL and PKCL.

The petition also seeks a direction to the RRVUNL to cancel the JV agreement for Parsa AND Kente Extension Coal Blocks namely Rajasthan Collieries Ltd. and its CMDA. The petition wanted the CBI to register a criminal case against responsible officers of RRVUNL, Ministry of Coal and PKCL/AEL and take criminal investigation forward.  

The petition highlighted the blatant violations of conditions of the environmental clearance that was granted by the Ministry of Environment & Forests to M/s Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd on 21st December 2011 with regard to the Parsa East and Kanta Basan Opencast Coalmine Project. The mining operations being carried out in the aforesaid area is in clear violation of the Specific Conditions of the environmental clearance.