The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Union government to inform the bidders taking part in the coal block auction that benefits of any nature to them will be provisional and subject to the orders of the apex court.
A bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian directed that the November 9 e-auction of 37 coal blocks across the country, including five in Jharkhand, shall be subject to its final order.
Significantly, Friday was the last working day of the Supreme Court before it goes into a weeklong vacation for Diwali.
Attorney General of India K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, said no trees will be cut in the area in reply to senior advocate F.S. Nariman that those who win bids should not be cutting off any trees.
On November 4, the Supreme Court had said it intended to pass an order that any proposed mining block within the 50km radius of an eco-sensitive zone will not be e-auctioned for commercial purposes in Jharkhand while hearing a plea (an original suit) filed by the Jharkhand government under Article 131 of the Constitution challenging the coal ministry decision to auction coal blocks situated in Jharkhand for commercial mining. The Supreme Court had allowed the Union government a day’s time to place on record materials to satisfy that environment would not be adversely impacted and had adjourned the hearing till Friday.
The apex court had on November 4 also considered appointing an expert panel to submit a report analysing the environmental impact because of mining in the coal blocks near eco-sensitive regions in Jharkhand within a month.
The coal mines auction which was started virtually by the Union government in June this year will put 41 coal blocks to private bidders out of which nine are in Jharkhand.
