Centre Asks SC to Spare 46 Illegal Coal Blocks to Meet Power Demands

The Central Government, on Monday, urged the Supreme Court to take immediate action on the fate of the illegal coal block allocations, but has requested not to invalidate 46 operational ones.

Pointing at the critical power condition in the country, Attorney General Mukul Rahtogi asked the apex court to spare at least 46 coal blocks that has been declared illegal among 218 total blocks.

He told the court that these blocks are either producing coal or is in the process of producing the much needed fuel at the time. A total of 40 blocks is currently operational while rest 6 blocks are expected to become operational shortly, Times of India reported.

However, Rohtagi told SC that the Centre would accept whatever decision the apex court takes on the coal block allocation scam.

The Centre is ready for the cancellation of the illegal and arbitrary allocation but urged the SC to take immediate decision as government would need to begin instant auctioning of the coal blocks to meet the power needs, as India is dependent mostly on coal as fuel for power generation.

On 26 August, SC had declared that all coal blocks allocations between 1993 and 2011 lacked transparency and were issued through illegal methods; and whether or not all the allocations would be cancelled has to be decided in hearings starting from Monday.