HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA WRIT PETITION No.15423 of 2011 ORDER: The petitioner is aggrieved by the letter, dated 23.04.2011, addressed by the fifth respondent-Tahsildar, Maddur Mandal, Warangal District, to the third respondent-Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Warangal, requesting him to clarify whether permission can be issued for sand mining. Learned Government Pleader for Mines and Geology appearing for respondents 1 to 3 submits that the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology is not the competent authority, and he would have to further forward the letter to the Director of Mines and Geology, who would, in turn, put up a proposal to the Government, who is the competent authority to issue permission for sand mining. He further submits that it is the Government who is the competent authority to a take decision in that regard. Rule 9 (k) (3) of Minor Mineral Concession Rules reads as under: - “The Government shall have the power to issue orders/clarifications, if any, not specifically mentioned in implementation of these rules.” After hearing the learned counsel for the parties, this writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the third respondent-Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Warangal to forward the letter written by the fifth respondent-Tahsildar to the second respondent-Director of Mines and Geology, Hyderabad who shall further forward the request of the petitioner to the Government. The Government is directed to take a decision expeditiously, preferably within a period of two months from the date of receipt of the request from the Director of Mines and Geology. There shall be no order as to costs. ______________________________ JUSTICE ASHUTOSH MOHUNTA 13th June 2011 DR