Australia court blocks building of India-backed coal mine

Sydney

AN Australian court on Wednesday revoked the approval of an Indian-backed project building what would be one of the world's biggest coal mines which environmentalists say threatens the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef.

But while environment groups hailed the decision as another important step in the A$16.5 billion (S$ 16.8 billion) project's eventual demise, Indian firm Adani insisted that it would go ahead.

"With the consent of the parties, the Federal Court has formally set aside the approval of the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Project," Australia's Environment Department said in a statement.

Environmental groups had challenged the government's approval of the mine on the basis of the enormous amount of greenhouse gases it w…