Gautam Adani’s group wins final approval to work on Australia coal project 

Gautam Adani.

New Delhi: Indian energy giant Adani Group, on Thursday, cleared the last regulatory hurdle to commence the work on its controversial Carmichael coal project in Australia with the Queensland state authorities approving its groundwater management plan, which came weeks after a surprise election win of Australia’s pro-coal ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Although, Adani got the first approval to protect the endangered black-throated finch bird population as part of its crucial environmental plan at the site of its mine project on May 31 but the two persisting hurdles were the finch management plan and the groundwater plan.

However, Australia’s state department of environment and science, in a statement, said it has approved the most recent version of the plan, which Adani submitted just a day ago. The mining company is now expected to start construction at the site within days.

Earlier, the company presented a dozens of ground water management plans but failed to meet the key environmental requirements.

Gautam Adani-led Adani Group entered Australia in 2010 with the purchase of the Greenfield Carmichael coal mine in the Galilee Basin in central Queensland, and the Abbot Point port near Bowen in the north.

Last year, Adani had said that it would fully fund the coal mine and rail project itself.

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