IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.5200 of 2011 1. M/s Sant Saw Mill & Furniture Works, Gonawan Road, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor Ashok Kumar, son of Sri Kameshwar Mistri, resident of Gonawan Road, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 2. M/s Badri Saw Mill, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor Ashok Kumar, son of Sri Kameshwar Mistri, resident of Gonawan Road, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 3. M/s Vishwakarma Kasth Kala Udyog, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Raghunandan Sharma, son of Sri Bhuneshwar Sharma, resident of Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 4. M/s Ram Chandra Saw Mill, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Viresh Kumar Sharma, son of late Ramchandra Sharma, resident of Gonawan Road, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 5. M/s Vishwakarma Timber, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Kkrishna Nandan Mistri, son of Sri Prabhu Mistri, resident of Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 6. M/s Saw Mill, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Shakunti Devi, wife of Sri Singheshwar Mistri, resident of Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 7. M/s Saw Mill, Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Ram Anuj Mistri, son of Sri Karu Mistri, resident of Harnaut, P.S. Harnaut, District Nalanda. 8. M/s Sahu Ara Saw Mill, Raghopur, Bihta, P.S. Bihta, District Patna, a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Sanjay Kumar son of late Krishna Prasad, resident of Raghopur, Bihta, P.S. Bihta, District Patna 9. M/s Shivam Timber, Kusumari, P.S. Riga, District Sitamarhi, a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Harendra Kumar, son of Sri Sarjug Mahto, resident of village Kusumari, P.S. Riga, District Sitamarhi. .. Petitioners. Versus 1. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, Sichai Bhawan, Secretariat, Patna. 2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, 4th Floor, Technology Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna. 3. The Commissioner, Patna Division, Patna-cum-Chairman, Selection Committee of Saw Mills, Patna, District, Patna 2 4. The Chairman, Selection Committee-cum-Commissioner, Tirhut Division, Muzaffarpur. 5. The Conservator of Forest, Patna Circle, Patna 6. The Conservator of Forest, Muzaffapur Circle, Muzaffarpur 7. The Licensing Authority-cum-Divisional Forest Officer, Nalanda Forest Division, Biharsharif 8. The Licensing Authority-cum-Divisional Forest Officer, Patna Forest Division, Patna 9. The Licensing Authority-cum-Divisional Forest Officer, Tirhut Forest Division, Muzaffarpur 10. M/s Deepak Timber, Gaushala Road, Bairgania, Sitamarhi Proprietor Raushan Kumar, Gaushala Road, Bairgania, District Sitamarhi. Respondents. C.W.J.C. No. 5230 of 2011 1. M/s Vishnu Saw Mill, Silao, P.S. Silao District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor Anuradha Sinha,son of Sri Rajendra Sharma, resident of village Silao, P.S. Silao, District Nalanda 2. M/s Saw Mill, Bhagan Bigaha, Rahui, P.S. Rahui, District Nalanda a proprietorship firm through its Proprietor of Arjun Mistri, son of late Muazi Mistri, resident of village Bhagan Bigha, P.S. Raghui, District Nalanda … Petitioners. . versus 1. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, Sichai Bhawan, Secretariat, Patna. 2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, 4th Floor, Technology Bhawan, Bailey Road, Patna. 3. The Commissioner, Patna Division, Patna-cum-Chairman, Selection Committee of Saw Mills, Patna, District, Patna 4. The Conservator of Forest, Patna Circle, Patna 5. The Licensing Authority-cum-Divisional Forest Officer, Nalanda Forest Division, Biharsharif ….Respondents C.W.J.C. No. 5520 of 2011 Yadunandan Sharma, son of late Ram Lakhan Sharma, resident of village +P.O. Kheshar, P.S. Belhar, District Banka …. Petitioner Versus 1. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, Patna. 2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Bihar, Patna. 3. The Divisional Commissioner, Bhagalpur-cum-The Chairman of Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur. 3 4. The Conservator of Forest, Bhagalpur-cum-Member, Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur 5. The Divisional Forest Officer, Banka-cum-Member Secretary, Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur. 6. The Range Officer, Banka Range Divisional Forest Office, Banka. 7. The Forester, Banka Circle, Divisional Forest Office, Banka. …Respondents C.W.J.C. No. 5553 of 2011 Umesh Prasad Sharma, son of Kamleshwari Sharma, resident of village Baliyat, P.O. +P.S. Dhoraiya, District Banka. … Petitioner versus 1. The State of Bihar through the Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest Government of Bihar, Patna. 2. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Bihar, Patna. 3. The Divisional Commissioner, Bhagalpur-cum-The Chairman of Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur. 4. The Conservator of Forest, Bhagalpur-cum-Member, Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur 5. The Divisional Forest Officer, Banka-cum-Member Secretary, Saw Mill Selection Committee, Bhagalpur. 6. The Range Officer, Banka Range Divisional Forest Office, Banka. 7. The Forester, Banka Circle, Divisional Forest Office, Banka. …Respondents ……. For the Petitioners : M/s Mrigank Mauli, Vinay Mistri, Aditya Prakash Sahay & Manas Prakash, Advocates For the State : Mr. M. K. Mishra, G.P. 25, Mr. B. K. Singh, A.C. to G.P.V, Mr. K. B. Singh. G.P. 22 and Mr. Neeraj Kumar, A.C. to G.P. 22 --------- 03/ 05.04.2011 Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned counsel for the State of Bihar and its authorities. 2. This writ petition has been filed by the petitioners for directing respondent-authorities not to disturb the trade and business of the petitioners and to grant/renew the licenses in favour of the petitioners and for quashing the Seniority Lists issued by respondents selecting the saw mills and also for challenging 4 Memos/Letters issued against the petitioners directing them to immediately close down their respective saw mills and further to dispose of the stocks of timbers within the time frame. The petitioners have also challenged the circulars issued by the respondents laying down the arbitrary criteria for selecting the seniority of the saw mills and also for directing the respondents to prepare fresh list of saw mills after re-examining the seniority as per the recommendation dated 11.06.2008 made by the Central Empowered Committee which was approved by Supreme Court and for other ancillary reliefs. 3. The matter is a contested one and both the parties are raising their respective claims. Similar matter had arisen earlier in C.W.J.C. No.4207 of 2011 and the only difference between that case and the instant case is that in the earlier case the father of the petitioner was the licensee whereas in the instant cases the petitioners themselves are the licensees. This fact hardly affects the merit of the case. In the said circumstances, these cases are also disposed of in terms of order dated 08.03.2011 passed in C.W.J.C. No.4207 of 2011. 4. The petitioners have got an alternative remedy and hence they should prefer appeals against the impugned decisions taken by the District Level Committee. If such appeals are filed along with a copy of this order as well as an interlocutory application for condoning the delay, the appellate authority shall consider the delay caused due to filing of these writ petitions and 5 shall decide the said appeals on merits expeditiously preferably within a period of four months thereafter keeping in view the order of the Apex Court dated 30.01.2009 passed in WP(C) No. 460 of 2004 and other analogous cases as well as the decision dated 04.09.2009 passed in WP(C) No. 202 of 1995 (Annexures 4 and 5, respectively ) and the steps taken by the Government in the light of the said decisions. If such appeals are filed as per the direction given above, the operation of the orders impugned in these writ petitions shall remain stayed till disposal of the concerned appeals. MPS/ ( S. N. Hussain, J. )