SC cancels 214 coal blocks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Wednesday cancelled all the coal blocks allocated from 1993 to 2011, except four vested with the NTPC and other public sector undertakings.

As a consequence of this order, 214 coal blocks stand cancelled.

However, the apex court bench, headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, in their order said that as many as 42 coal blocks under production or about to commence production will remain with their present management for the next six months till the Centre decides on their reallocation.

The court said that the management of these 42 coal blocks will have to pay a royalty of Rs.295 per metric tonne of the extracted coal during the period of six months.