THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA WRIT PETITION No.13615 of 2011 ORDER: This writ petition is filed with the prayer, which reads as under: “For the reasons stated in the accompanying affidavit, it is humbly prayed of this Hon’ble Court to issue a writ, order or direction more so one in the nature of mandamus declaring the inaction on the part of the respondent No.5 in not sending the NOC directly to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology concerned about classification and availability of land applied by the petitioner for grant of quarry lease as per the G.O.Ms.No.181 Industries and Commerce (Mines.I) Department dated 26-05- 1998 for an extent of 6-000 hectares in Sy.No. Gap area of Taduku village, Puttur mandal, Chittor district as illegal, arbitrary, violative of the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and A.P. Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966 and pass such other order.” Petitioner submitted an application to the third respondent - Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Chittoor, for grant of quarry lease for dimensional stones of Granite over an extent of 6- 000 Hectares in Survey No. Gap area of Taduku village, Puttur mandal, Chittor district. It is submitted that on the application submitted by the petitioner, the third respondent through letter bearing No.757/Q1/11, dated 04-02-2011, requested the fifth respondent – Tahsildar, Puttur Mandal, Chittoor District, to submit a report on the availability and classification of the area, as contemplated under Rule 12 of the Andhra Pradesh Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 1966. It is the grievance of the petitioner that though time frame is fixed for disposal of such applications by the Government through G.O.Ms.No.181, Industries and Commerce (Mines-I) Department, dated 26-05-1998, the fifth respondent is not moving the matter. A perusal of G.O.Ms.No.181, dated 26-05-1998, issued by the Government indicates that to avoid delays on the applications filed for grant of quarry leases/mining leases, time frames were fixed for disposal of such applications. As per G.O.Ms.No.181, thirty (30) days time is fixed for sending report by the Tahsildar to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology on the availability and classification of the land applied for. As much as it is evident from letter bearing No.757/Q1/11, dated 04-02-2011, addressed by the third respondent to the fifth respondent that such reference was already made by the third respondent, I deem it appropriate to direct the fifth respondent to submit report on the availability and classification of the area referred to in the letter, dated 04-02-2011, addressed to him by the third respondent, as expeditiously as possible, preferably, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. Subject to the above directions, the writ petition is disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs. _________________________________ JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA April 30, 2011 Pn THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA WRIT PETITION No.13615 of 2011 April 30, 2011 Pn