GEORGE SEBASTIAN Vs. DIRECTOR OF MINING AND GEOLOGY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner who is Managing Director of a Company engaged in the business of granite quarrying and stone crushing, has filed this writ petition seeking to quash Ext.P4 and to direct the 2nd respondent to consider Ext.P1 application in accordance with law within a time limit that may be specified.

(2.) The petitioner's Company owns 7.4890 Hectares of land in Sy.No.1/1 of Alanalloor III Village in Mannarkad Taluk in Palakkad District. The petitioner applied for quarrying lease as per Ext.P1. Requisite fee was also remitted. Thereupon, the Geologist addressed Ext.P3 letter to the Wild Life Warden, Silent Valley National Park to ascertain the distance of land where quarrying is proposed from the Silent Valley National Park Buffer Zone.

(3.) In response to Ext.P3, the Wildlife Warden sent Ext.P4 letter to the Geologist stating that the land is 650 meters away from the Buffer Zone. The Wildlife Warden further stated that the area has substantial presence of wild life and Landslide had occurred in the nearby area. The Wild Life Warden stated that no permission should be granted for quarrying. It is challenging Ext.P4 communication that the petitioner has approached this Court.