THE HON'BLE Ms. JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION No. 14022 OF 2010 Dated: 07.10.2010 Between: K.Somanarsaiah ..... PETITIONER AND The Government of Andhra Pradesh and others .....RESPONDENTS The Court made the following : THE HON'BLE Ms. JUSTICE G.ROHINI WRIT PETITION No. 14022 OF 2010 ORDER : This writ petition is filed seeking a declaration that the inaction on the part of the respondents 1 to 3 in taking appropriate action under Section 15 (1) of the Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act, 2002 (for short, ‘the WALTA Act’) for closure of the bore well dug by the 4th respondent in survey No.428 situated at Kanchanpalli Village, Raghnathpalli Mandal, Warangal District, is arbitrary and illegal. The petitioner, who claims to be an agriculturist, states that he has been using a well in his land in survey No.421 of Kanchanpalli Village, Raghnathpalli Mandal, Warangal District. It is alleged that the 5th respondent, who is the adjacent owner, had dug a bore well within 80 meters of the well of the petitioner in contravention of the provisions of the WALTA Act. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner made a complaint before the 3rd respondent on 28.03.2010 requesting to take appropriate action as contemplated under Section 15 of the WALTA Act for closure of the bore well dug by the 5th respondent. However, the respondents 1 to 3 failed to take any action. Hence, the present writ petition. On behalf of the respondents 1 to 3 a counter affidavit has been filed stating that the Mandal Revenue Inspector and Village Revenue Officer had inspected the bore well in question on 25.11.2009 and submitted a report stating that the 5th respondent had dug a bore well within a distance of 240 feets/80 meters. It is also stated that the Deputy Director, Ground Water Department addressed a letter to the 2nd respondent on 20.03.2010 informing that the 5th respondent had not taken permission from the Mandal authority before digging the bore well and requesting to take appropriate action under Section 15 (1) of the WALTA Act. Having regard to the stand taken in the counter affidavit filed on behalf of the respondents 1 to 3, the Writ Petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents 2 and 3 to take the necessary action in accordance with law pursuant to the report submitted by the 5th respondent. It is made clear that before taking any such action, an opportunity should be given to the 5th respondent to make his representation against the action proposed. Such exercise shall be completed, as expeditiously as possible, preferably within a period of six (6) weeks from the date of receipt of this order. No costs. ___________ Date: 07.10.2010 G. ROHINI, J Ivd