IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 24.11.2025

CORAM:

THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI

and

W.M.P. No.50000 of 2025

K.Anandkumar Petitioner

Vs

1. The District Collector

Collectorate,

Coimbatore 641 018.

2.The Revenue Divisional Officer

Coimbatore (North)

Venkateswara Nagar,

Kavundampalayam 641 030

Coimbatore District.

3.The Deputy Director

Department of Geology and Mining ,

State Bank Road,

Coimbatore 641 018.

4.The District Environmental Engineer

Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board,

Ramasamy Nagar, Coimbatore North,

Kavundampalayam 641 030

Coimbatore District.

5.The Member Secretary State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Panagal Maaligai, 1 Jeenis Road, Saidapet, Chennai 15

6.M/s. Saravana Blue Metals Industry Rep. by its Managing Partner, R.K. Selvakumar, 63/1 -A2- B Ramapalayam Jadayampalayam 641 302 Mettupalayam Taluk Coimbatore District. Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 5 to prevent the 6^th respondent from carrying on illegal rough stone quarry operation in SF Nos.33/2, 34/1, 34/2A(pt) and 40/1(pt) Jadayampalayam Village, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore district for indiscriminate quarrying of rough stones in violation of all rules and not to entertain any renewal of lease for causing potential threat to the petitioners life and property by considering his representation dated 26.09.2025.

For petitioner : Ms.M. Adhishree For respondents : Mr.Stalin Abimanyu Addl. Govt. Pleader for R1 to R4 Mr.Venkataswamy Babu for R5

ORDER

This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents 1 to 5 to prevent the 6^th respondent from carrying on illegal rough stone quarry operation in SF Nos.33/2, 34/1, 34/2A(pt) and 40/1(pt) Jadayampalayam Village, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore district for indiscriminate quarrying of rough stones in violation of all rules and not to entertain any renewal of lease for causing potential threat to the petitioner’s life and property by considering his representation dated 26.09.2025.

2. The petitioner is the owner of certain agricultural lands in Jadayampalayam Village, Coimbatore District and is engaged in cultivation therein for eking out his livelihood. While so, the 6^th respondent, who is the adjacent land owner, had applied for and obtained a quarry lease from respondents 1 and 3 to carry out quarrying operations for rough stone and gravel during the years 2020 and 2021. The said quarry lease was subsequently renewed and the same is valid up to the year 2026, based on an agreement entered into with the competent authorities.

3. It is the specific contention of the petitioner that the 6^th respondent has been carrying on quarry operations without obtaining mandatory consent to operate from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Further, it came to light that the 6^th respondent had approached the 5^th respondent / State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) seeking Environmental Clearance, which was rejected by order dated 07.05.2024. Thereafter, the 6^th respondent preferred an appeal in Appeal No.47 of 2024 before the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, Chennai, and the said appeal was allowed on 25.03.2025, directing the 5^th respondent / SEIAA to reconsider the application for Environmental Clearance. It is the grievance of the petitioner that the respondents ought not to grant permission to 6^th respondent to carry on quarry operations without obtaining clearances and therefore narrating the aforesaid aspects, he submitted a detailed representation dated 26.09.2025 before the respondents 1 to 5 and raised objections. However, no action has been taken on the said representation till date. Hence, this writ petition.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that permitting the 6^th respondent to carry on quarry operations without obtaining all requisite statutory licences and clearances would have a serious adverse impact on the environment and ecol