JUDGMENT

Dated this the 22nd day of August, 2022 The petitioner, who is owner of 16.99 Ares of land in Block No.2 of Uzhavoor Village of Meenachil Taluk in Kottayam District, has filed this writ petition seeking to direct the 3rd respondent to consider and pass orders on Ext.P3 application within a time frame to be fixed by this Court.

2. The petitioner states that he is owner of 16.99 Ares of land situated in Survey Nos.427/8 and 427/9 in Block No.2 of Uzhavoor Village, Meenachil Taluk in Kottayam District. The land is a garden land. It is not cultivated with paddy. It is not fit for paddy cultivation either. However, the land is included in the Data Bank and is described as ‘Nilam’ in Revenue records also.

3. The petitioner wants to use the land for other purposes. Hence, the petitioner filed Ext.P3 application in Form-5, invoking Rule 4(d) of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Rules, 2008. The application was filed on 09.05.2022. The application is not disposed of so far. Unless the application is considered expeditiously, the petitioner will be put to untold hardship and loss, contends the petitioner.

4. The Government Pleader representing the respondents resisted th