CIL moves court against closure order on 22 mines

Bharat Coking Coal Ltd  a wholly owned subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL) has moved the Jharkhand High Court challenging an order by the State Pollution Control Board to close down 22 coal mines. The mines opencast and underground produce nearly 15 mn tonne of coal, mostly coking coal, annually. The closure will impact the steel sector, particularly the government controlled Steel Authority of India Ltd. The state environment panel, in its order, had accused BCCL of running the mines without proper forest and environment clearances.