Apprehending a six-month delay in the start of the Rs 13,000-crore project in Chhattisgarh, Jindal Power on Sunday asked the environment ministry to reconsider withdrawal of the clearance granted to it. The Naveen Jindal-led company said it has not violated any green norm, and has already apprised environment minister Jairam Ramesh on the “more than six-month” delay the project could now face. “We are shocked and surprised at the action taken on us without giving an opportunity to our company to explain the factual position. The facts mentioned in your letter are not correct and we would like to clarify,” Jindal Power director Anand Goel said in a letter to the ministry.
“We would request you to please look into the matter once again and give us an opportunity to present our case before the Expert Appraisal Committee as we have not changed the location of the expansion project and have only optimised the land usage,” he said in the letter dated June 24.
After giving the initial clearance or Terms of Reference (ToR) to the proposed 2400-mw project last year, the Union environment & forest ministry had revoked it earlier this month, citing violation of green norms by the company. The proposed expansion project will entail an investment of Rs 13,410 crore. A senior Jindal Power official confirmed writing the letter to the ministry and expressed hope that the company would be given an opportunity to present its case to the authorities concerned.
The ministry, revoked the ToR for the proposed 2400MW coal-based power plant at Tamnar in Chhattisgarh by saying “the proposal for setting up the power plant is premature.”
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