Supreme Court to hear coal mining of Rajasthan firm by Adanis on March 14

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday postponed a hearing on March 14 on the coal mining operations by Adani Enterprise and coal block allocation in Chhattigarh to Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited.

A Bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Jutices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala was told by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for the Rajasthan firm that extraction of coal is halted and the whole matter is at "standstill."

The Bench agreed to list it immediately after the Holi vacation. On March 14. Rohatgi said the state firm had told the court in October last year that no coal will be extracted before the matter is hard and yet it has not been listed so far.

Meet the petitioners

Out of three pending pleas, one is a PIL filed by Chattisgarh activist Dinesh Kumar Soni, seeking cancellation of the block and the mining operations by Adani Enterprise for alleged violation of the environment clearance.

Two other petitions are by the Rajasthan state firm and Hasdeo Arand Bachao Sangharsh Samiti.

Earlier on July 15 last year, lawyer Prashant Bhushan had mentioned Sonio's PIL for a CBI probe for urgent hearing before the bench headed by then CJI N V Ramana. He said a notice was issued on the PIL in April 2019, but it has not been listede since.

In June 2007. the Rajasthan firm had chosen Adani Enterprise as mine developer adn operator.