In late August, millions of poor Indians rejoiced on a Supreme Court judgement on the allocation of coal blocks. It was further hoping that the subsequent order which categorically held all, except four, to be illegal. It was a reprieve from a forced displacement, loss of livelihoods and a life full of pollution, misery and exploitation.

People hoped that the breathing time given by the Court and a catena of laws passed over the last decade would enable it to highlight the grossly irregularity of the field level operations. It is an undeniable fact that a huge backlog of legacy issues of compensation, resettlement and rehabilitation still exist.

It was also redemption for a number of people who have been crying that the entire direction of development being pursued since the liberalisation has been undermining the basic tenets of the Constitution.

The report published on 2015 looks at the Coal Scam, its fallout and also looks at a few coal blocks. Read More