The on-going probe into the coal controversy reached Chhattisgarh with the investigating agency putting some vital documents under scanner.
The sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency probing this issue, reached Mantralaya to extend its probe to the state that had been endowed with rich coal deposits. The state shares about 17 per cent of country’s total coal production.
Officials in the mining department said that the CBI officials reached Mantralaya and state secretariat, seeking information about the recommendations made by the state government between 2006 and 2009 for coal allotment. The investigating officials had sought copies of the relevant documents.
“Since the issue had been reported between 2006 and 2009, the investigating officials had sought documents related to state’s recommendation for coal mines allotment during the period,” the officials said. The state government would provide all the required documents to the CBI, they added.
Under the practice, the state government had been recommending for the company to allot coal mine located in its geographical area. After going through the merits, the ministry of coal allot block to the company. The state’s recommends for coal blocks for the captive and also commercial use of any firm and company.
The mining officials said during the period, the Chhattisgarh government had recommended for 51 companies to be allotted coal blocks in the state. Unfortunately, many blocks allotted between 2006 and 2009 had come under the no-go area of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
Earlier, CBI team had visited many coal mines and blocks located in the state for physical verification. The investigating officials are however struggling to recover relevant documents in the coal ministry and states concerned.
