Press release - September 25, 2014
New Delhi, September 24, 2014: Greenpeace India today celebrated the Supreme Court's landmark decision on the coal scam and called the verdict a victory for the environment and the people of India against rampant corruption and crony capitalism rife in the resource extraction industry. The landmark ruling cancels the licences of 214 coal blocks including Essar and Hindalco's Mahan Coal block.
Greenpeace believes that the Court's ruling will spell the end of cheap coal in India with serious ramifications on the new government's excessive reliance on coal power as the engine of economic growth. The forests of Mahan got a reprieve from the SC order today when the allocation to Essar and Hindalco was cancelled on grounds of illegality.
"This landmark decision is a wake-up call for the Modi government that came to power on an anti-corruption and economic growth agenda. Today's ruling calls the bluff on coal's dirty secret and should signal the end of complicity between the state and corporate players. It's a strong message from the highest court in the country to the government and industry that the laws of the land cannot be circumvented and disregarded. The government has a stark choice —whether to develop a pro-people, pro-green economic model, or stick with corrupt, expensive, dirty energy," said Vinuta Gopal, Climate and Energy campaigner of Greenpeace India.
Forest communities in Madhya Pradesh and Greenpeace are jubilant as the Court ruled that the Mahan coal block be cancelled due to a lack of transparency when it was granted. Mahan Sangharsh Samiti and Greenpeace have been engaged in a long battle with the company over the proposed open cast coal mine, which would involve the destruction of half a million trees, rob over 50,000 people from 54 villages of their livelihoods, and destroy habitat.
"Mahan forests are one of the richest Sal forests in the country. Mining in Mahan would mean loss of livelihoods and rich biodiversity. The government should review the criteria on which coal blocks are allocated and spare the blocks in the forest areas," said Gopal.
Activists welcomed the new criteria proposed by the court and added that the new process must adhere to environmental laws and the Forest Rights Act. The verdict comes on the eve of one of Modi's ambitious projects – Make in India – which touts of boosting investment in India. The NDA govt has given enough clues about speedy re-allocations and easing of environment norms.
Greenpeace India demands that government must not take dangerous short cuts to achieve a double digit growth figure at the cost of India's rich biodiversity and people's rights. The government must not sway from its promise of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas by lining the pockets of a selected few corporates and go back into the vicious cycle of crony capitalism brought out by the SC verdict today.
For further details contact:
Vinuta Gopal, Climate and Energy campaigner of Greenpeace India: 09845535418; 
Jagori Dhar, Media Manager, Greenpeace India: 9811200481; 
Anindita Datta Choudhury, Senior Media Officer: 9871515804; 