THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE RAMESH RANGANATHAN WRIT PETITION No.29931 OF 2011 ORDER: The impugned notice dated 26.10.2011, whereby the petitioner was asked to show cause within seven days from the date of receipt of the notice why action should not be initiated against him, is under challenge in this Writ Petition as being illegal and arbitrary. Sri C. Sreenivas, Learned Counsel for the petitioner, would assert that, in the absence of the notice specifying that a bore-well has been dug within a distance of 250 meters from the drinking water source, the impugned notice is without jurisdiction and is liable to be set aside. When the matter was listed on 10.11.2011, Learned Government Pleader for Revenue (Andhra and Rayalaseema Areas) sought time to obtain instructions. Today the Learned Government Pleader would submit that the Government issued notification dated 30.11.2010 prohibiting exploitation of ground water until further orders, and a similar notification was issued earlier on 05.12.2008 which was valid for a period of six months. Since what is under challenge is merely a show-cause notice, and as it is open to the petitioner to raise all such contentions as are raised in this Writ Petition before the second respondent, it is wholly unnecessary for this Court to examine the contentions urged, in the Writ Petition, on its merits. The Writ Petition is, accordingly, disposed of permitting the petitioner to submit his reply to the notice within one week from today. In case such a reply is filed within the time stipulated hereinabove, the second respondent shall consider the said objections, and pass orders in accordance with law thereafter. Till orders are passed, the second respondent shall not take any coercive steps to seize the bore-well. If, however, the petitioner chooses not to submit his reply to the show- cause notice within the time stipulated hereinabove, it is open to the second respondent to proceed, and take action in accordance with law. The Writ Petition stands disposed of accordingly. However, in the circumstances, without costs. _____________________________ RAMESH RANGANATHAN, J November 17, 2011 Note: Issue C.C. by 21.11.2011 B/O.MD THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE RAMESH RANGANATHAN WRIT PETITION No.29931 OF 2011 November 17, 2011 MD