In a major setback to the Naveen Jindal-led Jindal Power Ltd (JPL), the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected its plea to allow it to pay additional levy of around Rs 1,800 crore, imposed for illegal mining by the court, in 36 equal monthly instalments. JPL and parent Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) need to pay Rs 1,793 crore towards Rs 295 a tonne penalty for illegal mining as directed by the Supreme Court in September order that scrapped allocation of over 200 coal blocks. JPL operates two coal blocks, Gare Palma IV/2 and IV/3, and JSPL has one block, Gare Palma IV/1, in Chhattisgarh. While JPL has to pay Rs 1,024.54 crore as additional levy with respect to its blocks Gare Palma IV/2 and IV/3 and JSPL has to pay Rs 768.83 crore with respect to coal block Gare Palma IV/1.