THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C. BHANU WRIT PETITION No. 31530 of 2011 ORDER: This writ petition is ﬁled seeking a mandamus to declare the action of the 4th respondent in not considering the petitioner’s request for grant of timber depot licence and further directing it to ﬁle an appeal before the 3rd respondent, vide impugned proceedings in Rc.No. 1192/94/S2, dated 16.08.2011 and the related action of the 3rd respondent in keeping the appeal, dated 24.08.2011 pending contrary to the instructions issued by the 2nd respondent dated 14.06.2011 as arbitrary and illegal. The petitioner has been running a saw mill and timber depot in Madhira, Khammam District, under a valid licence issued in accordance with the A.P. Saw Mills (Regulation) Rules, 1969. While so, it submitted an application dated 08.04.2011 to the 4th respondent who is the competent authority under Rule 4 of A.P. Forest Produce (Storage & Depot) Rules, 1989 for issuing a depot licence, but the 4th respondent, without considering the same, directed the petitioner to approach the 3rd respondent on the ground that the application cannot be considered at division level. Then, the petitioner approached the 3rd respondent and preferred an appeal dated 24.08.2011 to accord permission to establish timber depot within his mill premises and the same is pending before him. Therefore, he approached this Court by ﬁling the present Writ Petition. Heard the learned counsel on either side. Since the statutory appeal preferred by the petitioner before the 3rd respondent is pending, without going into merits of the matter, it is considered appropriate to direct the 3rd respondent to take an appropriate decision on the same. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of, directing the 3rd respondent to take an appropriate decision in accordance with law on the appeal ﬁled by the petitioner, after giving a reasonable opportunity of hearing, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. No costs. --------------------- (K.C. BHANU, J) 30th November 2011 ksld