Coalgate documents with CBI: Coal Ministry to RTI queries

Amid controversy over missing files related to coal block allocation, some RTI replies given by the Coal Ministry to queries from NGO Greenpeace and other activists say that the documents are already with the CBI.

"The information sought on copies of applications of the companies who have been allocated coal blocks, it is informed that all the applications along with annexures or enclosures, in original, are in the custody of Central Bureau of Investigation," Ministry of Coal said in reply to a RTI query filed by Greenpeace.

Greenpeace said it had received two RTI replies from the Coal Ministry on October 4, 2012 and February 28.

"On both the occasions the Coal Ministry claimed that the files related to allocations of coal block from 1993-2012 are all with CBI," it said in a release issued today.

It also said it had received another RTI reply from Environment Ministry on December 23, 2011 stating that files relating of Mahan Coal Block are untraceable.

"This is with reference to your aforesaid application and to state that as per records available in the section, one file namely Mahan Opencast Coal mine Project of M/s Mahan Coal Com. Is not traceable," the Environment Ministry had said in its reply to the query seeking "information pertaining to the missing files of Amelia and Mahan Coalmine Projects".

The Ministry had said both Mahan and Amelia Coal Mine Project files were kept in Vigyan Bhawan, R K Puram, New Delhi; "however, only the file on Mahan Coal Block is missing."

Greenpeace also alleged that Mahan coal block has also been named in the coalgate scam being probed by the CBI.

Responding to another RTI query on coal block allocation by advocate Vivek Garg, the Coal Ministry maintained the same reply.