THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA WRIT PETITION No.24768 of 2002 DATED: 15.03.2010 Between: K. Venkateshwar and others .. Petitioners And The District Collector, West Godavari District, Eluru, West Godavari District and others. .. Respondents ORDER: The only grievance of the petitioners in this writ petition is that, pending consideration of their application, seeking permission for carrying on aquaculture operations in their lands, by the 4th respondent- Aquaculture authority, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, the respondents have been interfering with their aquaculture operations. It is the admitted case of the petitioners that they have been carrying on aquaculture operations in their lands without obtaining permission from the competent authority and when the said action was questioned by the respondent authorities, they have made application for permission. Today, the learned Government Pleader for Revenue appearing for the respondents placed before this Court the letter dated 14.03.2010 addressed to him by the 3rd respondent- Tahsildar, Bhimavaram, wherein it is stated that petitioners 1,2 and 5 have been raising paddy crops in their lands whereas petitioners 3 and 4 have been doing aquaculture in their lands. It is further stated that if the petitioners intend to convert their lands into fish tanks, they may have to file an application duly paying requisite fee before the concerned authority and, if any such application is filed, the same will be disposed of in accordance with law. In view of the above, it is clear that petitioners 3 and 4, without obtaining necessary permission from the competent authority, are carrying on aquaculture operations in their lands, which is not permissible. If they intend to convert their lands into fish tanks, they have to file appropriate application before the concerned authority, and unless and until the same is considered and permission granted, they shall not carry on aquaculture operations in their lands and hence no directions, as sought by the petitioners, can be granted by this Court. The writ petition is accordingly dismissed. No order as to costs. ____________________________ JUSTICE N.V. RAMANA 15th March, 2010 IBL