IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE EIGHTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHT PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO : 18496 of 2008 Between: The Fishermen C-operative Society, Tana Annavaram (V), Nuzendla (M), Guntur District, Rep by its President, Komma Srinivasa Rao, S/o Venkateswarlu, aged 35 years, R/o. Tana Annavaram (V), Nuzendla (M), Guntur District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 The District Collector, Guntur District, Guntur. 2 The Dy. Director of Fisheries, Guntur District, Guntur. 3 The Divisional Panchayat Officer, Guntur District. 4 Gram Panchayat, Cheruvu Komma Palem (V), Nuzendla (M), Guntur District, Rep by Sarpanch. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Aﬃdavit ﬁled herein the High Court will be pleased to issue a writ, order or direction more particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the action of the respondents for not granting lease for ﬁshery rights in Chintakunta Tank situated at Cheruvu kommapalem Village, Nutendla Mandal, Guntur District, on the premise of the proceedings of 2nd respondent vide Rc.No. 716/A/08 dated 23-6-2008 to Fishermen Co-operative Society, Tana Annavaram Village for the year 2008-2009 as per GO Ms.NO. 776, dated 31-12- 1990. Counsel for the Petitioner:MS.M.VIDYAVATHI Counsel for the Respondents: GP FOR REVENUE The Court made the following : ORDER: The petitioner is a Fishermen Cooperative Society, having various villages in its area of operation. One such village is Tana Annavaram. It is stated that, on account of weak ﬁnancial condition of the society, it did not take on lease the tanks of that village. In the recent past, the society made a representation, dated 23.06.2008, to the Deputy Director of Fisheries, Guntur, the second respondent herein. The second respondent, in turn, addressed a letter of the same date to the Grampanchayat, the fourth respondent herein, with a request to ensure that the tanks are leased out in favour of the petitioner. It is complained that though more than two months have elapsed, the fourth respondent has not taken any action. Heard learned counsel for the petitioner, learned Government Pleader for Fisheries and learned Standing Counsel for the fourth respondent. The right to grant lease of ﬁshery rights, as regards the tanks in a village, is vested with the Grampanchayat, depending on the area. The petitioner intended to take the tanks on lease. The rules in force provide for preferential treatment to be accorded to the Fishermen Cooperative Societies. The second respondent has already forwarded the representation of the petitioner to the fourth respondent. Inasmuch as the season has already commenced, the view point of the fourth respondent needs to be expressed. Therefore, the Writ Petition is disposed of, directing the fourth respondent to communicate its reply to the proceedings, dated 23.06.2008, issued by the second respondent, within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. ____________________ Dt.08.09.2008 L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J GJ