P.SOUNDARRAJAN Vs. DISTRICT COLLECTOR, TIRUVANNAMALAI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In these batch of writ petitions, the petitioners have questioned the memos issued by the respective District Collectors, calling upon the petitioners herein to pay 100% cost of the mineral lifted for the period from 15.01.2016 to 10.01.2017 towards the cost of mineral, on the ground that, the respective petitioners have operated the mines without prior Environment Clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. The demands by the respective District Collectors were also based on the order of the Hon' ble Supreme Court of India in Civil.No.114 of 2014, wherein, by order dated 02.08.2017, the Hon'ble Supreme Court had stated that in the event of any overlap that is illegal or unlawful mining without environment clearance or without both would attract only 100% compensation and not 200% compensation.

(2.) It had been stated that the Director of Geology and Mining, Chennai, had instructed the respective District Collectors to comply with the orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India and consequently, memos had been issued to the writ petitioners seeking as aforesaid payment of 100% cost of the mineral lifted for the period from 15.01.2016 to 10.01.2017.

(3.) The writ petitioners have questioned the order of the respective District Collectors on more or less the same grounds. The facts are also similar. Arguments were also advanced in common by the learned counsels. All the writ petitions had already been clubbed together. A common order is therefore passed.