Govt seeks status report on captive coal blocks from cos

Intensifying drive against the firms sitting idle on coal blocks, the government today asked companies to give status report on the development of captive blocks allocated to them for the April-June quarter.

"You are requested to send the detailed information for the quarter ending June 2011 in respect of allocated coal/ lignite block and associated end use project to this office by June 27, 2011," the Coal Ministry has said.

The development comes on the heels of the ministry's issuing warning letters last week to two coal block allocatees -- Gondwana Ispat and Andhra Pradesh Development Corporation -- that their allotments would be cancelled if they failed to develop them in time.

In May, the coal ministry took a decision to deallocate 14 coal blocks and one lignite block and to issue warning to 29 coal and 3 lignite allocatees asking them to commence production in time.

Since last month, the government has deallocated coal blocks of companies like NTPC, Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation, Bhatia International, Shree Bhaidyanath Ayurved Bhavan, Jharkhand State Electricity Board, Damodar Valley Corporation and Gondawana Ispat Ltd.

It has also started issuing warning letters to firms asking them to either begin production of the blocks or see them being taken back.