.'^•-^'is HiGH COURT OF GHHATTISGARH : BILASPUR Division Bench Hon'iiieShri Jagdish Bhalia, Acting CJ.& Hon'bleShri Satish K. Agnihotri, J. Writ Petiton (PSU No. 4019 of 2007 Petitioners Respondents 2. 3. 4. Shatrughan Prasad Bhaskar, S/o Chain Singh, aged about 32 years, Ry'o Om Nagar, Jarha Bhatha, ii!aspur(C.G.) Manish Kumar Pandey, S/o. Mathura Prasad Pandey, aged about 3Q years, R/o. Main Road, Torwa, oppQsite the office of the Labour Com'Tiissioner, Biiaspur (C.G.) Versus State of Chhattisgarh, Through - the Secretary, Department of Road Transport, D.K.S. Bhawan, Raipur (C.G.) Union of India, Through — the Secretery, Ministry of Petroleum, Government of India, New Delhi - 11000. M/s Bharat Petroleum Company Limited, Through - its Territory Manager, Bijali Nagar, Bhilai, District Durg(C.G.) M/s. Gaaan Fueis. through \ its Proprietor, Main Road, Torwa, Biiaspur (C.G.) (Writ Petition Under Article 22S of Constitutlon of indiaj Present: Shrj M.P. S. Bhatia , counsel forthe petitioners. Shri Sanjay S. Agrawal, Govt. Advocate forthe State/ resDondent No1. Shri Bhisma Kinger, Standing counsei forUnion of india/ respondentNo.2. -2-- E-1! ORALORDER . l'.:. .-;1. (Passed on 2nd August 2007) The foilowing orat order of the Cburt was passed by Hon'bie'Shri Jagdish Bhalla, Acting G.J. t-1eard learnedcounsei for the Darties. The petitioners have approached this Couri: to restart the petro! pump inthe areainquestion, whichwaseariierrun byths opposite party No.4. , According to learned counsei appearing for the petitioners, this is a Pybiic Interest Litigation and iearned counsei for th®petitioner has been engaged by the Chhattisgarh High Court Legai Aid Committee. Learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submiis that there are jot of probiems because of the closyre of the petrot pump run by the Qpposite partyNp.4, therefore, prayed tore-startthe same. Allotment of petroi pump is made under the poiicyof Oii Company. FirsUy, viabilifry of the petrol pump is to be iooked into and ^thereafter appiications are to be invited forthe aiiotment ofthe same and thenonlytHe matters are to be considered for grant of.petrpl pump. The petitioners have pieaded before this Court that some temporary arrange'ment may be mads for restart of the petro! pump. We find thal before deciding to fite this public interest iitigation, no efforts .have been made to verify the reasons and grounds to seek the relief as ciaimed. The petitioners have not indjcated any policy/procedure to be foliowed for aiSotrnent of the temporary 'petroi pump. The site in question is on the main road i.e., Torwa, Bilaspur, known as Nationai Hign Way 200. Normaily, on the Nationai Highway there are petro! pumps at certain preseribed distance, however,theareg jnquestion iswithinthe municipai iimits pf Biiaspur. , • •* -3- Time and again.Hon'bie the Apex Court heid that before filing the pubiic interest litigation, it is the bounden dutyofthe petitioners and their counsei t& do compiete researchofthe matter in question and must bring on record a!I the materiai on the basis of which the reiief is being claimed. However, the sald exercise.was not done by the petitioners or their counsei. As referred to hereinabove, the petitioners have only prayed Tor temporary arrangement of petrol pump. We take judicial notice of the fact that iot of money is to be invested to start a petroi pump. T'ne petitioners 'nad not made any effort to find out whether tsmporary arrangement can be made and further w'nether anybody is wiiling to make huge investment for temporary purpose to suppiy of petrol. We have been informedthat the petrol pump was within the Municipai limits ofBilaspur. Thedistance betweenthe said petroi pumpor nearbypetro! pump is not indicated inthe petition.. !n the light of ths above discussion, no interference is warranted -"under Articte 226 of the Constitution .of india. Accordingiy, the writ petition is dismlssed. However, stwouid be open for the petitioners to approach the authorities requesting for opening ofthe petrol pumpatthe site in question or nearby. Sd/- . Ag. Chief Jusdce Sd/- SatishK.AgnUiotri Jud^e raju/subbu