None of the 64 blocks under the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) scanner over allocation and end-use have commenced production till now. This information was given by the Coal Ministry to the CBI this week. The blocks were allocated to “private companies” between 2004 and 2009.

The Ministry gave this information to the CBI early this week after the Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd (CMPDIL) presented a status report to the Ministry.

“CMPDIL constituted 23 teams that visited each of these blocks. At the same time, the sites were monitored through satellite images. It came to light that none of these blocks were mining coal at this moment,” a Government official told Business Line .

The CBI, which is reviewing all the 64 blocks, asked for a status report from the Ministry. “This negates the charge that some of the companies are mining coal from captive mines and there is pilferage of fuel,” said the official.

The companies that bagged these blocks are spread across the power, sponge iron, steel and cement sectors. Nearly 153 blocks were allocated during this period to both private and Government companies.

“The investigative agency is yet to decide if a first information report needs to be lodged. Till then, it is a preliminary probe,” the official added.

Among the private companies that were allotted blocks are Sunflag Iron Steel Ltd, TISCO, Veerangana Steel Ltd, JSW Steels Ltd, Jindal Thermal Power Ltd, Adhunik Alloys & Power Ltd, Bhusan Ltd, Hindustan Zinc Ltd, Deepak Steel & Power Ltd, Ultratech Ltd, Prakash Industries Ltd, Tata Sponge Iron Ltd, Essar Power Ltd, Hindalco Industries, DB Power Ltd, Adani Power Ltd, GMR Energy (IPP), Arcelor Mittal India Ltd, Lanco Group Ltd and ACC Ltd.

> siddhartha.s@thehindu.co.in

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