Power companies get back six deallocated coal blocks
06 Jan 2012
The coal ministry has given back six coal blocks of the 14 deallocated mines to companies, including Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Limited (TVNL) and NTPC, official sources said.
"We have given back six coal blocks, including one of DVC, one jointly allocated to TVNL and DVC, one to Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB) and three to NTPC," a coal ministry official said.
He said the coal blocks have been returned to the original allottees on condition that they would be developed within two years, failing which they would be taken back.
The government had, last year, cancelled the allotment of 14 coal blocks and one lignite block to six public sector and three private firms for failure to develop them within the stipulated time frame.
A committee, headed by additional secretary in the coal ministry, Zohra Chatterji, is looking into the issue of development of coal blocks, which were allocated to firms for captive use.
The coal ministry had, last year, taken back five coal blocks of NTPC, including Chatti Bariatu, Chatti Bariatu (S), Kerandari, Brahmani and Chichiro Patsimal.
