1 BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 10.08.2011 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE R.SUDHAKAR W.P(MD)No.8950 of 2011 and M.P.(MD)No.1 of 2011 Tamilnadu Timber Merchants & Saw Mill Owners Federation, represented by its President, No.273, Thiruparangundram Road, Vasanthi Nagar, Madurai-3. .. Petitioner Vs. The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chairman, State Level Committee, Panagal Building, Saidapet, Chennai-15. .. Respondent PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, to issue a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondent to pass orders on the applications of the members of the petitioner, submitted directly and through the districts/District Forest Officer and through concerned licencing authorities as the case may be, as per the directions of the Central Empowered Committee, New Delhi dated, 11.12.2008, as per the provisions of the Tamilnadu Regulation of Wood Based Industries Rules, 2010, as applied in the case of sawmills started before 30.10.2002 and consequently issue licence under Section 11 of the Tamilnadu Regulation of Wood Based Industries Rules 2010 to run the sawmill, in time bound manner. For Petitioner : Mr.S.N.Kirubanandham For Respondents : Mr.M.Govindan Special Government Pleader. O R D E R This Writ Petition has been filed by the petitioner for a Writ of Mandamus, to direct the respondent to pass orders on the applications of the members of the petitioner, submitted directly and through the districts/District Forest Officer and through concerned licencing authorities as the case may be, as per the directions of the Central Empowered Committee, New Delhi dated, 11.12.2008, as per the provisions of the Tamilnadu Regulation of Wood Based Industries Rules, 2010, as applied in the case of sawmills started before 30.10.2002 and consequently issue licence under Section 11 of the Tamilnadu Regulation of Wood Based Industries Rules 2010 to run the sawmill, in time bound manner. https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/ 2 2. Heard Mr.S.N.Kirubanandham, learned Counsel for the petitioner and Mr.M.Govindan, learned Special Government Pleader, who takes notice for the respondent. 3. By consent, the writ petition itself is taken up for final disposal. 4. Since the Writ Petition is filed by the federation and in view of the objection raised by the learned Special Government Pleader, the individual Members of the Federation are directed to make a representation/application to the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Chairman of the State Level Committee, after submitting the same to the licensed authority/District Forests Officers, which will be considered on its own merits and in accordance with the relevant provisions of law and the orders of the Honourable Supreme Court for expeditious disposal. Considering the fact that many of the members of the petitioner's Federation claims to be small saw mill owners and they are eking their livelihood in this business, the decision should be taken expeditiously, so that the petitioner's grievance may be redressed at the earliest. As and when such application is filed, the authority is directed to consider the same as expeditiously as possible preferably within a period of three months from the date of such application. The respondent/authority may also consider the claim of the individual saw mill owners seeking to run the unit, pending consideration of the application on its own merits. 7. With the above direction, this writ petition is disposed of. Consequently, the connected Miscellaneous Petition is also closed. No costs. Sd/- Deputy Registrar /True Copy/ Assistant Registrar To The Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chairman, State Level Committee, Panagal Building, Saidapet, Chennai-15. W.P(MD)No.8950 of 2011 and M.P.(MD)No.1 of 2011 ssl SMA/22.8.2011/2C/2P 10.08.2011 https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/hcservices/