Chief minister Hemant Soren said that his government had no option but to move Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s decision to auction 20 coal blocks for commercial mining, emphasising that the move held little benefit for a state which has had bitter experiences with mining in the past.
“I had written to the Prime Minister to defer the auction for six to nine months in the wake of Covid-19. Also, since it was a major policy decision, we demanded time for extensive deliberations with all stakeholders so that we can maintain equilibrium between commercial mining and sustainable development,” he told the media on Saturday at Project Building.
