Top executives of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) did not appear in Raigarh court today for allegedly constructing power plant without getting environmental clearances as the summons issued by the court could not be served.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Raigarh, Sanjay Soni, on October 15 ordered to register a case against JSPL and three of its top executives on a petition filed by the Chhattisgarh Environment Conservation Board (CECB) regional officer John Lakra. The court asked the officials to appear before it on October 29.
The three JSPL officials are Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Vikrant Gujaral, Joint Managing Director Anand Goyal and Executive Director P P Singh.
"The summons issued by the court were not served and hence they did not appear for the hearing today," public prosecutor and board's lawyer O P Beriwal said. "The court will decide the next date for hearing the case," he added.
The case pertains to JSPL's 600-Mw captive power plant near Dongamahua, about 40 km from Raigarh and 250 km from here. The company had reportedly started the work for the second unit of 300 Mw even as it required permission for the first 300 Mw. The second unit was being constructed without getting environment clearances.
A complaint was lodged with the Union environment ministry against the JSPL for violating the environment norms. Senior officials of the board visited the spot and found the complaint to be true as structures including a turbine and chimney were erected in alleged violation of the Environment Impact Assessment Rules 2006.
The officials asked JSPL to immediately stop the construction work.
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John Lakra filed a petition in the court of CJM against JSPL and top officials for violating the environment norms. After hearing the case, CJM of Raigarh Sanjay Soni on October 15 ordered to register case against JSPL and three of its top executives. The court had issued summons to the parties concerned to appear before the court on October 29.
This is the second time in past three months when JSPL had been charged of violating environment norms. Earlier, the state government had stopped the construction work of 2400-Mw power plant in Raigarh district.