IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. C.W.P. No. 10557 of 2010. [O&M] Date of Decision: 11th August 2010. Harcharan Singh & Ors. Petitioners through Mr. B.S.Sidhu, Advocate Versus State of Punjab & Ors. Respondents through Mr. H.S.Brar, Addl.AG, Punjab. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT. 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2. To be referred to the Reporters or not? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? SURYA KANT, J. [ORAL] This order shall dispose of Civil Writ Petition Nos. 10557, 9451 and 8828 of 2010 as common questions of law and facts are involved in these cases. The petitioners are farmers of different villages in Tehsils Gidderbaha and Malout, District Muktsar. They seek a Mandamus to restrain the respondents from destroying their paddy crops sown before 16.06.2010 in terms of the Punjab Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Act, 2009. Shorn of the details, it may suffice to mention here that under the Punjab Preservation of Sub-Soil Water Act, 2009, the farmers are prohibited from sowing nursery of paddy before 10th of May of the agricultural year, and they can also not transplant paddy before 16th of June of the said agricultural year. There is, however, an exception in terms of Section 3[3][c] of the Act whereby the 'water- logged area' has been exempted from the rigors of these cut-off dates. The Explanation appended to the afore-stated provision defines the expression “water-logged area” to mean an area having depth to water table less than one metre below the ground level. The solitary question that arises for consideration is as to whether or not the agricultural lands owned by the petitioners are 'water-logged area'. While the petitioners claim that their lands are water-logged and as such the condition of not sowing and transplanting paddy does not apply to them, the respondents have taken a contrary stand. Having heard learned counsel for the parties and in the light of there being serious dispute regarding the nature of land, I deem it appropriate to dispose of these writ petitions with a direction to the respondent – State to depute a team of experts from the Agricultural Department along with one subject expert from the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to inspect/test the petitioners' lands and/or other adjoining areas, and submit a report with regard to the nature of water-logging, if any. If the State Government is satisfied that the lands in dispute are water-logged areas, it is directed that a notification to this effect be issued before commencement of the next season of the paddy plantation. Disposed of. Dasti. August 11, 2010. ( SURYA KANT ) dinesh JUDGE