RANCHI (India CSR): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change imposed a fine of three thousand crores on NTPC, a Maharatna company of the Government of India, for illegal mining. This is the biggest fine ever imposed on any public sector company in the history of India.
The Central Advisory Committee of the said ministry has taken action on the complaint of Mantu Soni, a Barkagaon resident. Soni had informed the ministry explaining how the Maharatna company is carrying out illegal mining by destroying the area’s lifeline Dumuhani Nala (river) in violation of the conditions imposed for mining in NTPC’s Pakri Barwadih Coal Project.
In the case of illegal mining, it has been decided to recover five times the amount of net present value (NPV) with 12 per cent interest as per the order of the Supreme Court. The committee has sent a letter related to this to the Jharkhand forest department Principal Secretary.
Before the order was given the advisory committee examined Soni’s allegations and evidence. His advocate, Navendu Kumar, from Patna High Court played his role during the examination of allegation and evidence.
The Committee, after detailed deliberations on the alleged violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, recommended setting up a sub-committee of the FAC to visit the area to see the hydrological impact of the area vis-a-vis mining operations of the user.
Information about this was given in writing a letter to the Jharkhand forest department principal secretary. The sub-committee was mandated to study the climate change, assessment and impact of Dumuhani Nala and the area in particular by Triveni-Sainik Mining Private Limited in general. A letter related to this complaint was also written to the same secretary.
The investigation was done after receiving a complaint regarding illegal mining in 100 acres of area in violation of the conditions of forest clearance. After confirmation in the investigation, a sub-committee was constituted in the meeting of the Central Advisory Committee. Those who were members of the committee included the additional commissioner of the Ministry of Agriculture OP Sharma, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad professor Anshumali, additional principal chief conservator of forest.
Sumit Bhardwaj, Assistant Inspector General of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a letter on February 17 seeking a report from the sub-committee as soon as possible. The committee sent the report to the Government of India in April. After which, on April 25, the Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change decided to impose a fine of five times the NPV along with 12 per cent interest on NTPC as directed by the Supreme Court.
Soni said that it has been fined under Forest Acts. If the central government conducts an unbiased investigation, coal scam worth thousands of crores can come to the fore due to the connivance of officials of NTPC, Triveni-Sainik Mining Company and Forest Department because the extraction of coal from the illegal mining area and its cost has not been calculated yet.
