IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) WEDNESDAY, THE SIXTEENTH DAY OF MARCH TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA WRIT PETITION NO : 13174 of 1998 Between: M/s Fujii granites Rep. by Sri A.V. chandrasekhara Rao, B-254, 50th Street, Ashok Nagar, Chennai. ..... PETITIONER AND The Director of Mines And Geology, Government of A.P., B.R.K.R. Buildings, Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENT Petition under Article 226 of the constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court may be pleased to issue a Writ or order or Direction more Particularly one in the Nature of a Writ of Mandamus directing the Respondents to dispose of the Applications, dt:1.2.1997; 19.7.1997, 13.11.1997 and- Nil- submitted by the petitioner over the extents of 1.99 Acs., 3.000 Hects., 6.50 Hects. and 4.000 Hects situate in Kondavalasa (Village), Regadi Amadalavalasa (Mandal), Srikakumal District. Madipalle (V), Hasanparthy (M), Warangal Dist., Devarapalem (Village), Chimakurthi (Mandal); and Boddikurapadu (V)illage, Talluru (Mandal) of Prakasam District, respectively. Counsel for the Petitioner: MR.V.RAJAGOPAL REDDY Counsel for the Respondent: GP FOR MINES AND GEOLOGY The Court made the following: ORDER: The petitioner, in this writ petition seeks a direction to the respondent to dispose of his applications dated 1-2-1997, 19-7-1997, 13-11-1997 for grant of quarry lease of multi coloured/black granite in various extents of land in Kondavalasa village in Srikakulam district, Madipalli village in Warangal district and Devarapalem village in Prakasam district. Learned counsel for petitioner submitted that the petitioner after complying with all the required formalities and paying the necessary fee has applied for grant of lease of quarry of coloured and black granite in Srikakulam, Warangal and Prakasam districts and alleges that the respondent has not taken any action on the said applications and kept the same pending, on the ground that the State Government has imposed a ban on grant of quarry leases. It is contended that the State Government has no power or authority to impose a ban or any restrictions for grant of quarry leases for extraction of multi coloured granite. Heard the learned counsel for petitioner and learned Government Pleader for Mines and Geology. The writ petition was admitted by this Court by order dated 3-7-1998 and no counter affidavit is filed in the matter. The petitioner in the present writ petition only seeks a direction for disposal of his applications in accordance with law. Hence, without going into the merits of the matter, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the writ petition with the following direction. The respondent/Director of Mines and Geology is directed to consider the applications stated to have been filed by the petitioner on 1-2-1997, 19-7-1997 and 13-11-1997 and dispose of the same in accordance with law expeditiously, if not already disposed of. Subject to above, the writ petition is disposed of. No costs. _______________ N.V.RAMANA,J 16-3-2005 TVK To 1. The Director of Mines and Geology, Government of A.P., B.R.K.R. Buildings, Hyderabad. 2. 2 CCs to G.P. for Mines and Geology, High Court Buildings, Hyderabad. (OUT) 3 2 CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{RAGHU}