JUDGMENT

2. The facts of the cases involved in this batch are similar, if not identical. As such, it is not necessary to refer to the facts of all cases. I am, therefore, referring to the facts brought out in W.P .(C) No.17533 of 2020 alone for the purpose of adjudicating the questions.

3. The petitioner in W.P .(C) No.17533 of 2020 is the grantee of a quarrying lease in terms of the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015 (KMMC Rules) framed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) for extracting building stones for a period of 12 years. In order to commence the operation of the building stone quarry of the petitioner, he applied for EC to the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), the regulatory body at the State level under the 2006 Notification, and on the basis of the recommendation made by the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC), the appraisal body at the State level, the petitioner has been granted EC by SEIAA for his building stone quarry project on 05.12.2014. It is stated by the petitioner that the life of the project of the petitioner as estimated by him and intimated by h