In Mozambique problems arose with the resettlement process around its coal mines. When asked about governmental flaws in the pre-resettlement proces in October 2012 Jindal replied: "The government's speed is slow. They are not matching our speed. We are running at 100, they are running at 30". Jindal's power plant and mines in Chattisgarh are being resisted by local communities. Incidents of violence against protestors have been reported.Over 2,500 people still reside near the Chirodzi Coal Project's open-pit mine.

Despite the company's promise to resettle communities before mining commenced, resettlement has not taken place. The communities did not receive any form of compensation or substitute land for their sacrifices. Jindal continues to extract coal from land that is vital to the survival of residents and their families. The food insecurity that has resulted from Jindal's operations makes people vulnerable to poverty and hunger. Jindal uses dynamite to facilitate coal extraction at the site, resulting in coal dust clouds that severely impact the health of those living within a kilometer of the mine.

All of Jindal's coal blocks in India, are in forested regions with high livelihood dependence from local communities and wildlife presence. Since early 2013, Jindal has been mining without an approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is in direct violation of Mozambican Environmental Law. Nevertheless, Mozambique's president at that time, Armando Guebuza, inaugurated the mining project days after a large protest where community members physically attacked Jindal officials.

The group is under investigation for its role in the "Coalgate" scandal. Jindal has been accused of bribing the then Minister of State for Coal to secure mining rights in certain coal blocks. The Supreme Court, on August 25, 2014 ruled that coal blocks allocated by the government between 1993 and 2010 were illegal. Naveen Jindal, the head of the company, is also being investigated on charges of corruption, as part of the coal scam case. JSPL has also been accused of illegally diverting coal from its captive mines for commercial sale.