THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY W.P.No.6120 of 1997 Date:07.03.2006 Between: Salivahana Sangam. -------PETITIONER AND The District Collector and others. ---------RESPONDENTS ORDER: The petitioner is a society consisting of the members of potters’ community. It is stated that way back on 17.07.1915, the then Government had allotted an extent of Ac.0.50 cents of land in Sy.No.52/B of Chilakaluripeta, Guntur District to the petitioner-sangam to enable its members to use the clay in that land for the manufacture of pots. The rights of the petitioner are said to have been protected by subsequent orders issued by the Government in G.O.Ms.No.1076 dated 21.01.1970, Government memo dated 13.07.1971, etcetera. The petitioner complains that in the month of January, 1997, the Mandal Revenue Officer, the second respondent herein, visited the site with an object of dividing it into plots and allotting it to others. Several representations are said to have been made to respondents 1 and 2 in this regard. Ultimately, the petitioner came to know that respondents 3 to 15 herein, said to be the Journalists, were assigned house sites of Ac.0.02 cents each in Sy.No.52/B through patta certificates, dated 12.02.197. The same are challenged in this writ petition. The petitioner contends that as long as the assignment in favour of the petitioner, ever since 17.07.1915 is in force, there was no justification on the part of respondents 1 and 2 to assign that land in favour of respondents 3 to 15. Though nearly ten years have elapsed, respondents 1 and 2 have not filed any counter-affidavit. Respondents 3 to 15 were served, but they have not entered appearance. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for Revenue. The assertion of the petitioner that the land in Sy.No.52/B was assigned to it on 17.07.1915 for the purpose of utilizing the clay for manufacture of pots, remains unrebutted. On an earlier occasion, the petitioner approached this Court by filing W.P.No.3303 of 1997, when the second respondent issued notice, dated 25.01.1997 to the petitioner requiring it to substantiate its rights to take the clay from the said land. The writ petition was disposed of, leaving it open to the petitioner to produce such material and directing the second respondent to pass appropriate orders. There was stay of dispossession of the petitioner until conclusion of the said proceedings. Nothing is placed before this Court by the respondents to indicate that any orders adverse to the interest of the petitioner, have been passed. In para ‘5’ of the affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, reference is made to various orders issued by the Government to protect the rights of the petitioner. Even this stands unrebutted. In that view of the matter, the writ petition is allowed and the assignment of house sites in favour of respondents 3 to 15 is set aside. Respondents 1 and 2 shall be entitled to proceed against the land in question, only after issuing notice and passing reasoned orders. _____________ 07.03.2006 kdl