IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.959 of 2007 PRAKASH KUMAR Versus THE STATE OF BIHAR & ORS ----------- For the petitioner : Mr.Atul Chandra, Advocate For the respondents no.1 & 2 : Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, Junior counsel to Government Pleader IV For the respondent no.3 : Mr.Vishwa Mohan Kumar Sinha, SPL PP (Mines) ------- P R E S E N T Hon'ble the Chief Justice & Hon'ble Mr. Justice Kishore K. Mandal ------ Dated, the 18th August, 2008 The petitioner is a practicing advocate. He claims to have been inspired by a news item published in daily English News Paper “Sunday Times of India”, Patna/Ranchi National edition of 24th September, 2006. 2. Although the petitioner was inspired by the newspaper report, he did not choose to verify the facts and gather statistics. His principal grievance is with regard to establishment of geological laboratory in Bihar. 3. In the counter affidavit filed by the respondents it is stated that after re-organisation, the new State of Bihar has hardly one 2 per cent of known mineral reserves. During last six years, the total number of samples collected and sent for analysis is not more than two in the entire State. The establishment of geological laboratory would cost about Rs. 25-30 lacs every year and the cost of analysis of each sample would come to above Rs. 1.3 lac. In this background, the State Government has decided not to set up the geological laboratory in Bihar. 3. The administrative decision is founded on good reason and, by no stretch of imagination, it can be said to be arbitrary. 4. The writ petition is liable to be dismissed and is dismissed. This disposes of I.A.No.6465 of 2007 as well. R.M. Lodha, CJ Kishore K. Mandal, J. Sunil/