Taking forward its crusade against companies which are sitting idle on captive coal blocks allotted to them, the Government has asked firms to furnish status report on the progress made in development of these blocks in the October-December period.
“You are requested to send the detailed information for the quarter ending December 2011, in respect of allocated coal/lignite block and associated end use project along with the reasons on delay in implementation of the coal/lignite project,” an official document of the coal ministry said.
“The blocks which have attained peak rated capacity of mine, need not furnish status report of coal block. But the status of linked end use projects need to be furnished,” the document added.
While taking back 14 coal and one lignite blocks, the Government had earlier also issued warnings to 29 coal and three lignite mine allottees for beginning production on time. It had said that the companies face risk of losing mining rights of the blocks.
Warnings were issued to firms, including NTPC and Jindal Steel and Power.
As part of the deallocation drive of the coal ministry, the firms that had to part with their mines include NTPC, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation, Jharkhand State Electricity Board, Damodar Valley Corporation and Gondawana Ispat.