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2007 Supreme(AP) 1048

Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : V.V.S.RAO
V.ADEPPA - Appellant
Versus
GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH, INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE (M-LLL) DEPT - Respondent
Decided On : 10/16/2007
Writ Petition 21073 Of 2006

Advocates Appeared: C.RAGHU, P.ROY REDDY, S.R.ASHOK

Headnote:

Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 – Section 6 – Constitution of India, 1950 – Article 226 – Lease agreement – Mining plan – Seeking its invalidation – Alleged that the application along with mining plan of third respondent for mining lease for limestone for a period of twenty years, has been forwarded by State Government to central Government under Section 6 of act as area exceeds 10 square kilometers – So as to transport mineral from the crusher in survey No. 216 of village, through various survey numbers in said village, conveyor belt is proposed to carry mineral to factory site as it is not possible to lay a road to transport limestone for cement factory – Allegation that first respondent deleted entire extent of acs. 28. 40 cents in survey alone is baseless as impugned G. O. , refers to other survey numbers by describing them as survey etc – Grant of lease to petitioner has not been crystalised as no lease deed is executed by first respondent in favour of petitioner – Held, It is also on record and indeed petitioner also admits that having come to know that third respondent sought permission to lay a belt conveyor over land in survey petitioner made representation requesting respondents 1 and 2 to direct concerned authority to stop construction activities undertaken by third respondent – This application was also considered by first respondent as is seen from impugned order – When representation ventilating grievance of a person was also considered and decision making authority comes to conclusion that grievance made out is not justified, person who suffers from decision cannot be permitted to take plea that he was not given notice before taking decision – As rightly pointed out by respondents, even as on today, mining lease granted by first respondent in favour of petitioner has not been crystalised into an enforceable right and therefore, no prejudice much less substantial prejudice is caused to petitioner – Submission of violation of principles of natural justice is devoid of any merit – Writ petition is dismissed.

( 1 ) THE petitioner made an application to the first respondent through proper channel for grant of mining lease for quartzite for an extent of about Acs. 600. 00 in survey no. 217 of Kundankota village of Yadiki mandal in Anantapur District. The application was recommended by the second respondent. The first respondent granted mining lease by their orders in G. O. Ms. No. 248, dated 12. 09. 2006, subject to the provisions of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)Act, 1957 (the Act, for brevity); the Mineral concession Rules, 1960 (the Rules) and subject to the conditions in the lease agreement in Form K appended to the Rules as well as additional conditions appended to the said order. The petitioner alleges that in pursuance of the grant of lease, the first respondent also approved the mining plan as required under Rule 22 (4) of the Rules, which is valid for the entire duration of twenty years period and subject to such modifications that may be made by the first respondent. When the petitioner was taking steps to complete other formalities for commencing mining operations, the Government issued g. O. Ms. No. 270, dated 27-09-2006 according permission to the third respondent to lay the belt surveyor with structure passing through the mining area granted to the petitioner. The said G. O. , was issued in partial modification of the orders in G. O. Ms. No248, dated 12-09-2006, by which mining lease was granted to the petitioner. Feeling aggrieved by G. O. Ms. No. 270, the petitioner filed instant writ petition seeking its invalidation.

( 2 ) AT the stage of Admission itself, the third respondent has filed counter affidavit. The writ petition is opposed on the ground that the petitioner has no enforceable right to invoke public law remedy under Article 226 of Constitution of India. It is also alleged that the application (along with mining plan) of the third respondent for mining lease for limestone over an extent of Acs. 970. 17 cents in Survey nos. 57, 58, 60 to 67 etc. , of Gudipadu village and Survey Nos. 1 to 10 etc. , of Kundankota village for a period of twenty years, has been forwarded by the State Government to the central Government under Section 6 of the act as the area exceeds 10 square kilometres. So as to transport the mineral from the crusher in survey No. 216 of Kundankota village, through various survey numbers in the said village, the conveyor belt is proposed to carry mineral to the factory site as it is not possible to lay a road to transport limestone for the cement factory. The proposed belt conveyor would traverse the land in survey nos. 216, 217, 223, 225, 227 and 254 of kundankota village. The allegation that the first respondent deleted entire extent of acs. 28. 40 cents in survey No. 217 alone is baseless as the impugned G. O. , refers to other survey numbers by describing them as survey No. 217 etc. The grant of lease to the petitioner has not been crystalised as no lease deed is executed by the first respondent in favour of the petitioner. The laying of the proposed belt conveyor would not be detrimental to the petitioner as the same would occupy very small extent as against total extent of Acs. 595. 43 cents, which would yield quartzite for a period of 657 years. The first respondent issued impugned order duly considering all aspects of the matter and following principles of natural justice. There is no other suitable area for laying belt conveyor and if the third respondent is not allowed to do so, it would be incapacitated from transporting crushed mineral. The writ petition is not bona fide.

( 3 ) LEARNED counsel for the petitioner contends that whether or not the petitioner executed lease deed in Form K, he has a right against arbitrary reduction of mining area, which is granted to him validly by g. O. Ms. No. 248, dated 12-09-2006. Therefore, the respondents 1 and 2 ought to have conducted enquiry, after giving notice to the petitioner and they ought to have shown the place or place








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