IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) FRIDAY, THE FOURTH DAY OF DECEMBER TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT: THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.9526 of 2009 BETWEEN: Mohd.Sirajuddin & Others …Petitioners AND Government of A.P. and others …Respondents The Court made the following: THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No.9526 of 2009 ORDER: The petitioners claims to be owners of 383 acres of land in Survey No.222/1 to 222/20 of Maheshwaram Village, Ranga Reddy District. Steps under A.P. Forest Act, 1967, (‘the Act’, for brevity) were initiated for notifying the said land as Reserve Forest. Ultimately, a notification under Section 4 of the Act was issued, vide G.O.Ms.No.1, EFF & T (For.I) Department dated 04.01.1999 and it was published in the Gazette on 23.07.1999. It was followed by a notification dated 28.09.1999 under Section 6 of the Act. Lot of correspondence ensued thereafter. Writ petition Nos.21771 of 2009 and 1980 of 2009 were filed, claiming various reliefs in respect of the land. These writ petitions were dismissed by this Court on 30.04.2009, and the petitioners therein, were directed to wait till the proceedings that commenced under the Act reach finality and the land is cleared from the operation of the A.P. Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It is stated that the Forest Settlement Officer, Hyderabad – the 6th respondent herein, addressed letter dated 08.01.2008 to the District Collector, Ranga Reddy District – 5th respondent herein, stating inter alia that it is no longer possible and feasible to carry the proceedings further and that the land be excluded from the proposals of converting into a Reserve Forest. The grievance of the petitioner is that, no action has been taken thereon, and their rights are in jeopardy. They pray for a Writ of Mandamus to direct the authorities of the Forest Department to take further steps, as desired by the 6th respondent, and to handover the land to them forthwith. Heard Sri J. Prabhakar, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Government Pleader for Forests. It is a matter on record that the land in Survey No.222/1 to 222/20 of Maheshwaram Village, Ranga Reddy District was notified for formation of Reserve Forest. The proceedings did not reach finality on account of various reasons. The 6th respondent has addressed letter dated 08.01.2008 indicating certain course of action. The decision in this regard has to be taken at various levels. The 5th respondent alone is not the authority to decide the matter finally. That, however, cannot be a ground for the respondents to continue the uncertainty for decades together. The exercise of statutory power, in one way or the other, must not take such a long time, particularly, when the owners of the land are prevented from using the land or to deal with the same otherwise. An early action is in the interest of all. Hence, the writ petition is disposed of, directing that respondents 1 to 6 shall finalize the issue relating to the acquisition of the land in Survey No.222/1 to 222/20 in Maheshwaram Village, Ranga Reddy District for the purpose of conversion thereto into Reserve Forest, within a period of six months from the date of receipt of copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. ________________________ JUSTICE L.NARASIMHA REDDY December 04, 2009 BVV