IMG lets Hindalco, Essar Power retain Mahan coal block

The group, which met under the chairmanship of additional secretary, coal ministry, AK Dubey deliberated on the fate of 10 blocks.

The inter-ministerial group of the coal ministry on Tuesday is learnt to have allowed two blocks, including that of Hindalco Industries and Essar Power, to retain their Mahan coal block as they have secured stage-II forest clearance, while allottees of eight other blocks have been given about nine months to obtain second stage clearance.

The group, which met under the chairmanship of additional secretary, coal ministry, AK Dubey deliberated on the fate of 10 blocks. The ministry had earlier asked the allottees of these blocks to present their views before the IMG on their preparedness for obtaining stage-II forest clearance. Along with the permission to Hindalco-Essar Power JV for Mahan block in Madhya Pradesh, the group also recommended the same for Durgapur II/Sarya mine of DB Power in Chhattisgarh.

The blocks (all located in Jharkhand) which have the nine month breather include Jindal Steel and Power Limited’s Jitpur mine, Ganeshpur block allocated jointly to Tata Steel and Adhunik Thermal Energy, Rohne mine of JSW Steel and Bhushan Steel and Power, Brinda and Sasai blocks of Abhijeet Infrastructure, Dumri mine of Nilachal Iron and Power and Bajrang Ispat, Lohari mine belonging to Usha Martin and Moitra block of Jayaswal Neco Limited.

With the general elections due soon, the government is keen to take decisions on the 60 coal blocks that had attracted controversy in the wake of the CAG report and subsequent court cases. In the previous meeting of the IMG on February 8, it had recommended cancellation of 31 out of 60 blocks. Those present in Tuesday’s meeting besides the secretaries from concerned ministries were the chief secretaries of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

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