CWP No. 2543 of 2011 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH CWP No. 2543 of 2011 Date of decision:- 10.02.2011 Chand Singh son of Sh. Gurmail Singh, r/o village Sayan Khurd, District Ludhiana and others. ...Petitioners Vs State of Punjab and others. ...Respondents CORAM:-HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RANJAN GOGOI, ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH Present: Mr. Gurcharan Dass, Advocate, for the petitioners. * * * * RANJAN GOGOI, A.C.J. (ORAL) This PIL has been filed challenging an order dated 30.12.2010 by which the license of the respondent No. 6 has been renewed with retrospective effect after the same had expired on 29.11.2009. It is contended that the aforesaid renewal, after the lapse of over one year, is not authorized in as much as under the relevant provisions of the Punjab Control of Bricks Supplies and Distribution Order, 1998 (hereinafter referred to as the 'Order') renewal could be granted upto 180 days of expiry of the period of a license. The operation of the brick kiln on the basis of the aforesaid renewal has also been challenged on the ground that the same constitutes an environmental hazard. CWP No. 2543 of 2011 2 Admittedly, the brick kiln has been in operation since the year 1999 until the license thereof expired on 29.11.2009. During the aforesaid period of 10 years none of the petitioners who claim to be residents of the adjoining village had raised the environmental/ pollution issue which is now sought to be raised. In such circumstances, we have serious doubt as to whether this writ petition should be entertained as a PIL. In so far as the issue with regard to renewal of the license and consequential violation of the provisions of the Order are concerned, we are afraid, the same cannot be an appropriate matter for adjudication in the PIL. We, therefore, decline to entertain this PIL. However, it will be open for the petitioners, if they are so advised, to file a regular writ petition confining the challenge therein to the issue with regard to grant of renewal of the license of the respondent No. 6. PIL shall stand disposed of in the above terms. (RANJAN GOGOI) ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE (AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH) JUDGE 10.02.2011 Amodh