Gujarat, which has scheduled its NRE No. 1 longwall start-up date for December 2011 after delivery of all longwall equipment to the mine was completed in the June quarter, should be fined for declaring the donations to both sides of politics 18 months too late, the environmentalists say.

Total Environment Centre executive director Jeff Angel told the Sydney Morning Herald it ''beggared belief'' the company hadn't known full disclosure was required earlier.

''After the profile this issue had under the last government, and especially in Wollongong, it … is staggering that Gujarat's donations were only declared this week,'' he reportedly said.

NSW law requires all donations made during the two years prior to a development application to be declared at the time of the application, or be revealed within seven days if made afterwards.

Details of the donations had been posted on the Department of Planning and Infrastructure's website last week with documents showing the department was recommending approval of the company's plans.

In a statement, the DPI said ''disclosure laws in NSW make it clear that the onus lies with proponents to disclose political donations associated with development proposals''.

Even so, it had initiated an approach to Gujarat to find if there were any ''reportable'' donations that had precipitated the company's disclosure.

''As soon as this statement was received, it was uploaded to the department's website and the proposal was then referred to the Planning Assessment Commission for determination,'' the department said. ''The department will be seeking further explanation from the company.''

Gujarat reportedly said the late notification was an “oversight”

The Total Environment Centre has campaigned against Gujarat’s longwall, claiming that it could harm Sydney’s water supply in the Cataract Dam near Appin.

Gujarat cleared legal hurdles blocking land around the colliery back in June by paying $45 million to acquire the 93 hectares of associated mining lands around NRE No.1.

The mining land acquired was crucial not only for current operations but also for the proposed future development, as the company would require the land for operational logistics including coal handling and stockpiling.

To further prepare the mine, Gujarat achieved 1303 metres of development driveage in the Wonga East area during the recent quarter.

Two Sandvik MB670 continuous miners are developing the Wonga Mains roadway and completing driveage to install the longwall and associated coal clearance systems.

Three production units were manned for seven-day production during the second quarter following the transfer of an estimated 150 personnel from the No. 4 shaft to the Wonga East site.

Meanwhile, production at Gujarat’s LW11 NRE Wongawilli had a safe run in the June quarter, with the relocation of LW19 completed.

Gujarat said Longwall 15 development at Wongawilli continued to be conducted at a high standard, which would ensure the block was established for later efficient longwall extraction.

While necessary geological drilling was completed to obtain much-needed ground water monitoring data at Wongawilli, Gujarat said there had been some “unavoidable” delays during the quarter.

Gujarat attributed wet weather for drilling delays at the colliery which halted drilling for a couple of weeks.