Business

RIL-RNRL case: Power Ministry to back NTPC

NEW DELHI: The ongoing litigation between Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) and Reliance Natural Resources Ltd. (RNRL) on sale of gas from the KG basin D6 block took an interesting turn with the Power Ministry having decided to file an affidavit in the Bombay High Court opposing the plea of the Petroleum Ministry to get the stay vacated on the gas sales.

Power Ministry sources said it had decided to back the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on the issue and has given the go ahead for filing an affidavit against the Petroleum Ministry plea.

“NTPC has a water tight case. RIL has not fulfilled its obligation for supply of gas and giving concrete shape to the contract with NTPC. We are with NTPC on the issue and will not allow anyone to hijack the case on some pretext or the other,” a senior Ministry official remarked. Refusing to comment on the legal proceedings and the shape of the case, Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh said NTPC’s interest was national interest and there would be no compromise on that issue.

Petroleum Secretary R. S. Pandey had stated last week that the Petroleum Ministry had decided to intervene in the legal dispute over the gas row between the two brothers on the advice of the Attorney General and the Law Ministry, which saw the Government as an ‘affected party’. The Government has requested the Bombay High Court for lifting injunction on D6 gas sales.

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