THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO WRIT PETITION No. 22253 OF 2011 O R D E R: It is represented that the petitioner herein submitted an application on 20.02.2008 seeking grant of quarry lease over land of an extent of 2.00 hectares situate in Survey No. 126 of Musthuru Village, Nimmanapalli Mandal, Chittoor District, for a period of 20 years. The State Government has taken a policy decision and announced the same through their G.O.Ms.No. 181 Industries & Commerce (Mines-1) Department, dated 28.05.1998 fixing time frame limit for disposal of prospecting licence/mining lease/quarry lease applications. Upon receipt of any such application, the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology concerned shall fix a date for inspection and send one set of application to the Mandal Revenue Officer concerned for reporting on the category of the land and availability of the land for grant of prospecting licence/mining lease/quarry lease. The Mandal Revenue Officer thereafter is required to send his report to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology within a period of 30 days, duly marking a copy thereof to the District Collector concerned. If the District Collector does not disagree with the report of the Mandal Revenue Officer, he is not required to submit any other report. Based upon the report of the Mandal Revenue Officer, the application can be considered. Only in the event the District Collector disagrees with the report of the Mandal Revenue Officer and files an independent report, in such a case, appropriate decision can be taken by the Director of Mines and Geology. In the instant case, the time frame limit fixed by the State Government and announced through their G.O.Ms.No. 181, referred to supra, has not been adhered to. In spite of complaining about the inaction on the part of the Mandal Revenue Officer, Nimmanapalli Mandal, Chittoor District, the District Collector, Chittoor is not taking any action for the lapses committed by the Mandal Revenue Officer in this regard. If the Mandal Revenue Officer is not in a position to comply with the time frame limit fixed by the State Government, the District Collector concerned is expected to view the conduct of the Mandal Revenue Officer concerned seriously and make him accountable and responsible for the delay. While directing the District Collector to take suitable action against the erring Mandal Revenue Officer in this case for the inordinate delay committed by him, the decision considered appropriate on the application said to have been submitted by the petitioner be taken within a maximum period of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order and communicate the same to the petitioner. With this, the Writ Petition stands disposed of, after hearing the learned Government Pleader for Mines and Geology. Though the name of the learned Government Pleader for Revenue is printed in the cause list, he did not prefer to enter appearance in the matter. No costs. ---------------------------------- (NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO, J) 08th August 2011 ksld