New Delhi: The Union government on Monday left it to the Supreme Court to decide the fate of 218 coal blocks allocation held as illegal by it. The affidavit filed by the ministry of coal incorporated the statements made by AG Mukul Rohtagi on September 1 that the Centre has “no objection” to the cancellation of allocations declared as illegal by the apex court and was also not insisting on any particular course of action. Giving details as directed by the court about the 40 producing blocks and six likely to come under production during the year 2014-15, the affidavit said they “are estimated to produce about 50 million tonnes of coal in the current year.”
The ministry placed before it the gist of information about mining lease, commencement of production and linked End-Use Production investment received from allocatees of these 40 productional coal mines and six on verge of production. Out of 40 functional mines, two are allocated to an Ultra Mega Power Project, which has not been declared as illegal by August 25 judgment. The affidavit said the six coal blocks which are likely to come under production were determined by the Coal Controller’s Organisation.
