Indian mining giant Adani's plan to build one of the world's largest coal mines in Australia on Wednesday suffered a major setback after a court revoked the environmental approval for the controversy-hit 16.5 billion dollar project opposed by green groups and local residents.
Adani's environmental authority has been set aside after the Federal court found that Environment Minister Greg Hunt had not properly considered advice about two threatened species - the yakka skink and the ornamental snake in the Galilee basin, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Environmentalists hailed the federal court's ruling against the Carmichael mine as another setback for the project.
The latest decision was announced by the court following the case filed by Mackay Conservation Group which launched the challenge earlier this year. Sue Higginson, who represented the Mackay Conservation Group, said there was now no legal approval for the mine in central Queensland. The group said the judgement ruled the approval by Environment Minister was invalid on environmental grounds.
“What can happen from here is the Minister can re-make his decision, and of course in re-making that decision he can approve the mine again following the proper legal procedures, or he can refuse the mine; that is the legal power open to the Minister,” Higginson said.