Chhattisgarh files case against Power plant of MP Naveen Jindal

     Raigarh, July 18, 2010: The Chhattisgarh Government has filed a case against the Congress MP led Jindal Power Limited, located here at Raigarh district, for grossly violating the Environmental Act.

     Chief Judicial Magistrate S K Soni has fixed the next date of hearing as August 11.

     On direction of the State Government, the Regional Environmental Officer A C Malu had filed the case against the Jindal Power Limited and its Executive Director P K Chakravorty for violating the Air, Water and other related sections of the Environment Act and the Indian Panel Code, officials said.

     The Congress MP led company has been accused of carrying out full fledged construction work on a 2400 MW O P Jindal Power Plant without obtaining environmental clearance and no objection certificate from the Central or state governments.

     On February 22, May 22 and June 10, during visit of the site, Environmental Department officials found works were on progress because of which two notices were issued to Jindal on February 26 and June 23. However, the notices have failed to stop the construction works in the new plant site, they said.

     Because of this the conditional approval accorded to Jindal on March 31, 2009 were scrapped on June 18, 2010

     Director of the Central Environmental Pollution and Forest Ministry Dr P L Ahujrai had also written a letter on June 18, 2010 to the Chhattisgarh government asking to initiate legal action against the Jindal power under the provisions of Section 19 of Environmental Act 1986.

     On direction of the State Government, the Regional Environmental officer had filed the case against the Jindal Power of carrying out construction work without any environmental clearance and no objection certificate.