THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA W.P. No. 23363 of 2010 Oral order: The petitioner states that he submitted applications to respondent No.2, namely the Revenue Divisional Officer, Madanapalle, Chittoor, and respondent No.4, namely the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, Palamaneru, Chittoor District, for grant of leasehold rights to quarry black granite in Sy. Nos. 962/3 and 1058/3 of Krishnapuram village of V. Kota Mandal. As the Rules require production of NOC, respondent No.4 addressed letter to respondent No.1, namely the Tahsildar, V. Kota Mandal, who having conducted enquiry forwarded his report with recommendations for grant of NOC to respondent No. 2. The petitioner states that as per the orders issued by the Government in G.O. Ms. No. 181, Industries & Commerce (M8ines-I) Department, dated 28.05.1998, respondent No.1 has to submit his report directly to respondent No. 4 and he cannot route the same through respondent No.2. Since respondent No.1 instead of sending his report directly to respondent No.4 has routed the same through respondent No.2, the petitioner contends such action of respondent No.1 is violatve of the orders issued by the Government in G.O. Ms. No. 181, dated 28.05.1998, and prayed for appropriate directions. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Assistant Government Pleaders for Revenue and Mines and Geology. The short question that arises for consideration in this writ petition is whether the Mandal Revenue Officer has to send his report for grant of NOC to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology directly or he has to route the same through the Revenue Divisional Officer/Sub-Collector?. To consider this question, a reference be made to the orders issued by the Government in G.O. Ms. No. 181, dated 28.05.1998, wherein the Government or expeditious disposal of applications relating to prospecting licence/mining leases and quarry leases, had fixed time limits at different levels. Clauses 2 to 5 of the said G.O., which are relevant or the purpose of the case, read as follows: Immediately after receipt of application, the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology shall acknowledge receipt to the applicant, fix a date for inspection and send one set of applications to the Mandal Revenue Officer concerned to report on the category of the land and availability of the land for grant of prospecting licence/mining lease or quarry lease. The Mandal Revenue Officer will send his report to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology within a period of 30 days duly marking a copy of his report to the District Collector. The reports of the Mandal Revenue Officer need not be routed through intermediate level of Revenue Divisional Officer/Sub Collector. If the District Collector is in agreement with the report of the Mandal Revenue Officer, he need not make any further report to the Director of Mines and Geology. However, if the District Collector disagrees with the recommendations of the Mandal Revenue Officer, he will send his recommendations to the Director of Mines and Geology within 30 days from the date of receipt of report from the Mandal Revenue Officer. In case no report is received from the District Collector, within 30 days, it will be assumed that the Collector has no objection in grant of prospecting licence/mining lease or quarry lease. The Assistant Director of Mines and Geology will submit his report along with recommendations of the Mandal Revenue Officer to the Director of Mines and Geology within 15 days from the date of receipt of report from the Mandal Revenue Officer. The Assistant Director of Mines and Geology shall send his recommendations directly to the Director of Mines and Geology without routing the same through the Regional Deputy Director of Mines and Geology to save time. From the above, it is clear that the Mandal Revenue Officer, upon receipt of the application from the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, shall send his report on the category of the land and availability of land for grant of prospecting licence/mining lease or quarry lease, to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology within a period of 30 days duly marking a coy thereof to the District Collector, and he need not route the same through intermediate level of Revenue Divisional Officer/Sub Collector. Thereupon, the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, shall submit his report along with recommendations of the Mandal Revenue Officer, within 15 days to the Director of Mines and Geology directly without routing the same through the Regional Deputy Director of Mines and Geology. While in case, the District Collector is satisfied with the report of the Mandal Revenue Officer, he will not make any report, but if he disagrees, he will send his recommendations to the Director of Mines and Geology within 30 days from the date of the report from the Mandal Revenue Officer, and in case no report is received, it will be assumed that the District Collector has no objection to the grant of prospecting licence/mining lease or quarry lease. In the instant case, respondent No.1, namely the Mandal Revenue Officer, having received the application of the petitioner from respondent No.4, after conducting enquiry with regard to the category of land and availability of land, has sent the same to respondent No.2, namely the Revenue Divisional Officer. Since G.O. Ms. No. 181, dated 28.05.1998, does not require the Mandal Revenue Officer to route his report through the Revenue Divisional Officer, and obligates him to send the report directly to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, with a copy of the same marked to the District Collector, the impugned order of respondent No.1 in routing the report through respondent No.2, cannot be sustained. Hence, the writ petition is allowed. The impugned order is set aside. Respondent No.1, namely the Mandal Revenue Officer, is directed to send his report/recommendations directly to the Assistant Director of Mines and Geology, as envisaged under G.O. Ms. No. 181, dated 28.05.1998. No costs. ________________ N.V. RAMANA, J. Dated: 28th September, 2010 KSR