Coalgate: Govt de-allocates 4 blocks

The IMG,in its meeting held yesterday,had deliberated upon the cases of five companies which were allocated eight coal blocks,a statement issued by the Coal Ministry said.

The statement noted that the IMG had recommended de-allocation of four blocks 8212; Bramhadih Block in Jharkhand allocated to Castron Mining Ltd in 1996,Chinora and Warora southern part blocks in Maharashtra given to Field Mining and Ispat Ltd in 2003,Lalgarh North block in Jharkhand allotted to DOMCO Smokeless Fuels Pvt Ltd in 2005.

The IMG also recommended deduction of Bank Guarantee BG in case of Marki Mangli-II,III and IV Blocks in Maharashtra allocated to Shri Virangana Steels Ltd,the statement said.

The Group also recommended that in the case of Utkal B2 Block in Odisha allocated to Monnet Ispat amp; Energy Ltd in 1999 8220;where there was substantial progress but no provision for BG,the allocattee may be asked to submit BG amounting to three years royalty within a period of one month from date of letter in this regard failing which the block may be deallocated8221;,it said.

Sources said the BG in case of Shri Virangana Steel,now Topworth Urja and Metals Ltd,is Rs 2 crore,while that for Monnet Ispat is Rs 90 crore.

8220;Recommendations of IMG have been accepted by the government,8221; the Ministry statement said.

The eight blocks are among 58,which are under scrutiny of the IMG. It has so far taken up the cases of 29 allocated to private companies.

While these eight blocks were reviewed yesterday,10 more cases will be taken up tomorrow.

Sources said IMG has recommended de-allocation of blocks,mainly because the allocatees failed to set up end-use plants.

8220;The IMG would continue examination of remaining cases in its next meeting scheduled to be held on September 14,2012 and will hold further meetings as may be required for completing recommendations,8221; the statement said.

Commenting on the development,Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said,8221;File pertaining to coal blocks came to me at 12 pm today8230;I immediately cleared it8221;.

Answering a question which saw a design in the de-allocation decision because some of the blocks were allocated during the NDA rule,he said,8221;Please ask me the question after seeing the results of all these blocks8221;.

Jaiswal said his ministry was empowered to take decision on the recommendations of the IMG and there was no need to seek Cabinet8217;s permission for it.

Asked whether there was a possibility of the ministry accepting all the recommendations for cancellation,if any,he said that it was possible.

The private firms,whose coal blocks have been cancelled could not be reached for comments.

Spokesperson of Monnet Ispat and Energy,which has been asked to deposit bank guarantee,said,the company has 8220;not received any official communication.8221;

8220;We have made our representations to the IMG8230; All we would like to emphasise upon is we are a serious player and we have already gone ahead with lot of development on the block,8221; the spokesperson added.

Sources said IMG has recommended that in case Monnet Ispat fails to start production by March 2013,its bank guarantee of Rs 90 crore would be forfeited and the block would be de-allocated.

Monnet Ispat was allocated Utkal B2 coal block in Odisha in 1999,which has an estimated reserves of 77 million tonnes MT.

The official statement said IMG has been reviewing the developments of blocks on individual basis and also obtained a status paper from Coal Controller/Ministry of Coal.

This is the first recommendation by the IMG ever since the controversy over the allocation of coal blocks broke out with the CAG estimating undue benefits of Rs 1.86 lakh crore to private firms due to allocation of 57 mines sans auction.

IMG,headed by Additional Coal Secretary Zohra Chatterji,formed earlier this year,had sent out show-cause notices to 58 block allottees,including 20 mentioned in the CAG report,for furnishing the cause of delay in developing the mines.

The panel heard representations by 29 block allottees,all of whom are from the private sector,on September 6-8. The allottees had said delays in starting the production resulted due to lack of various clearances from different state governments.

Tata Steel,Reliance Power,JSW,Grasim Industries,Kesoram Industries,IST Steel amp; Power,SKS Ispat and Power,Bihar Sponge Iron,among others,had appeared before the IMG.

The remaining 29 coal blocks,which were given show-cause notices,are with public sector companies,including MMTC,Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation and Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation.

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Fraud coal block allotments would be cancelled: Ashwani

Jaipur: Blaming the BJP for negative politics over coal block allotment,Union Minister of State today said Coal blocks allotment based on fraudulent misrepresentation of facts would be cancelled and action would be initiated against allottees if found guilty.

Ashwani Kumar,MoS for Science and Technology,said that the BJP was inviting lawlessness and anarchism in the country by doing negative politics over the issue of coal block allocation.

8220;If it is found that there was any fraudulent misrepresentation of fact by any allottee in getting the block allotted,suitable action as per the law would be taken. Such allocations would be cancelled and action would be taken against the allottee,8221; Kumar said at a press conference here.

8220;But the demand of the BJP that the Prime Minister should resign and all the block allocation be cancelled is unacceptable because investigation and a chance to allotte to present his side before any action,is a constitutional requirement,8221; he said.

Kumar said that some of the observations and conclusions in the CAG report were objectionable and controversial.

8220;We have no fight with CAG but some observations are baseless and controversial8230;we are not satisfied and will present our side before Public Accounts Committee,8221; he said.

The minister said that the UPA government was in favour of competitive biddings for allocations in 2004,but the Chief ministers of states like Rajasthan,Chhattisgarh,West Bengal and Odisha had opposed it and insisted the existing process of allotment by the screening committee.

The minister also lashed out at the BJP for stalling parliament and said that the party was doing negative politics and has touched a new low.

8220;Allegation of corruption on the UPA government is totally baseless,politically motivated and the BJP which lost elections in 2004 and 2009 is trying to establish its political relevance by politicising the issue of coal block allocation,8221; he said.

8220;The corruption is not the agenda of a single party,but a national issue and the action which the UPA government took to curb it was remarkable and no other government has been ableto do that,8221; he claimed.