In Brief
Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. (JSPL) purchased iron ore from Sarda Mines Pvt. Ltd. (SMPL) in Odisha and sought permission to transport already-mined, processed, and royalty-paid ore from SMPL's lease area to its plants. The State of Odisha refused transport permits after SMPL's environmental clearance expired. The High Court granted JSPL's writ petition, interpreting 'mining operations' to exclude transport of already-extracted minerals. The Supreme Court upheld this, permitting JSPL to remove and transport the ore once SMPL complied with environmental dues and undertakings, with proceeds deposited in a supervised trust account."
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