Mahan forest clearance cancelled, says NGT

Tribunal says consequence of SC order on coal blocks

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent order cancelling 214 coal blocks, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday said the environment nod to the Mahan coal block in Madhya Pradesh, too, stands cancelled.

“In view of the Judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India… quashing the allotment of the mine in favour of the Project Proponent, the cause of action raised by the Appellants does not subsist any longer,” a Bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar said in its order.

The coal block in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh has been entangled in a series of controversy since the block was allocated to power company Essar and aluminium producer Hindalco in 2006.

Following this, Mahan Sangharsh Samiti filed a case in the NGT protesting against development of coal block in the region, challenging the forest clearance accorded to the proposed coal mine. The NGT said the appeals of MSS “do not survive for consideration and have been rendered infructuous” in the light of the SC order.

The apex court had on Wednesday cancelled all but four of the 218 coal block allocations made in the past two decades.