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IN THE HIGH COURT OF , BANGALORE

DATED THIS THE 13 TH DAY OF DECEMBER, 2012

PRESENT

THE HON'BLE MR. VIKRAMAJIT SEN, CHIEF JUSTICE

AND

THE HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE B.V.NAGARATHNA

W.P.Nos.50542-563/2012 (GM-MM-S)

BETWEEN:

1.M/S MAHADEVI STONE CRUSHER, B.K.HALLI VILLAGE, TQ:HALIYAL DIST:UTTARA , BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.NAGENDRA.S.JIVOJI-581301.

2.M/S PARVATHI STONE CRUSHER, AJJARANI VILLAGE BANAVASI TQ:SIRSI, DIST: , BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.GUNESEKAR SRINIVAS PILLAI-581301.

3.M/S SRINIDHI HOT MIX PLANT, HANUMANTHI VILLAGE SAMPAKHANDA, SIRSI DIST: UTTARA KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.D.V.VITTALKAR--581301.

4.M/S KUNJI MOHAMMED STONE CRUSHER, KURSE VILLAGE TQ: SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.KUNJI MOMMED KUTTY--581301.

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5.M/S MAHALAXMI STONE CRUSHER, MALALAGAON TQ: YELFLAPUR DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.UDAY.S.NAIK--581301.

6.M/S LAXMI VENKATESH STONE CRUSHER MANJUGUNI VILLAGE TQ: SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI. SANJAY JATTI NAIK-581301.

7.M/S HANUMANTH INDUSTRIES MANJUGUNI VILLAGE TQ: SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.MUKUND JATTI NAIK-581301.

8.M/S SHRINIDHI STONE CRUSHER, TUMBERGOD VILLAGE TQ: SIDDAPUR DIST: UTTAR KANNADA BY ITS PROPRIETOR SRI.VINAYKUMAR.D.VITTALKAR-581301.

9.M/S MODERN CRUSHING INDUSTRIES GOUDALLI VILLAGE, TQ: SIRSI DIST:UTTAR KANNADA BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SMT.SHOBHA SHASHIKANT KULKARNI-581301.

10. M/S SHRI LAKSHMI STONE CRUSHING INDUSTRIES TARALI VILLAG SAMPGOD, TQ: SIDDAPUR, DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.SHANKAR NARAYAN DATTARAYA BHAT-581301.

11.M/S NANDEESHWAR STONE CRUSHER, LANDAKANAHALLI TQ: SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SMT.TRIVENI RAMAKRISHNA KORVAR-581301.

12.M/S RAGHAVENDRA STONE CRUSHER, HUTGAR HULEKAL ROAD, TQ: SIRSI, DIST:UTTAR KANNADA,

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BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.NAGARJ.D.VITTALKAR-581301.

13.M/S SRI.MAHALASA STONE CRUSHER, SARAGUPPA DEVANAHALLI POST, TQ: SIRSI, DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.NAGENDRA PAI-581 301.

14.M/S MAHALAXMI STONE CRUSHER, BANDAL, TQ: SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.GOPAL VENKAPPA NAIK-581 301.

15.M/S GAJANAN STONE CRUSHER, HALGADIKOPPA TQ: SIDDAPUR DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.KALIDAS KRISHNA PEDNEKAR-581 301.

16.M/S GANDHALE BROTHERS (STONE CRUSHER), RAMNAGAR JOIDA DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.DIGAMBAR.G.GANDHALE-581301.

17.M/S M.G.R CRUSHING INDUSTRIES, RAMNAGAR JOIDA TQ: DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI. MAHADEV GUNDU GANDHALE-581301.

18. M/S C.H.VEERARAJU & CO., RAMNAGAR TQ: JOIDA DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PARTNER, SRI.M.BHASKAR REDDY-581 301.

19.M/S RAMKRISHNA STONE CRUSHER INDUSTRIES, CHINNAPUR ARABAIL VILLAGE, TQ: YELLAPUR DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.SRIKANT DAMODAR SHETTY-581 301.

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20.M/S SOHANI INDUSTRIES, BOGRIBAIL VILLAGE TQ: ANKOLA DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.MANGALDAS.S.KAMAT-581 301.

21.M/S NITYA CRUSHING INDUSTRIES, SHIRWAD VILLAGE TQ: KARWAD DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.DEEPALE DATTATRAY WAINGANKAR-581 301.

22. M/S SHREE KRISHNA STONE CRUSHER UNIT INDISTRIES AREA, TATGAR ROAD, TQ: YELLAPUR DIST: UTTAR KANNADA, BY ITS PROPRIETOR, SRI.MURALI.T.NAYAR-581 301. ... PETITIONERS

(BY SRI: HANUMANTHAREDDY SAHUKAR, ADV.)

AND:

1.THE STATE OF KARNATAKA, DEPT. OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KANIJA BHAVAN RACE COURSE ROAD, BANGALORE, BY ITS DIRECTOR-560 001.

2.THE KARNATAKA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD, PARISARA BHAVAN 4 TH AND 5 TH FLOOR, NO.49, CHURCH STREET, BANGALORE, BY ITS CHAIRMAN-560 009.

3.THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, UTTAR KANNADA DISTRICT-581301.

4.THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, ESCOM ELECTRICITY SUPPLY COMPANY, KARWAD DIST: UTTAR KANNADA-581 301.

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5.THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, HESCOM ELECTRICITY SUPPLY COMPANY, SIRSI DIST: UTTAR KANNADA-581301. ... RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI: R.G.KOLLE, AGA, FOR R1 & R3, SRI.D.NAGARAJ, ADV. FOR R2, SRI.N.K.GUPTA, ADV. FOR R4 & R5)

THESE WRIT PETITIONS ARE FILED UNDER

ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ,

PRAYING TO QUASH THE ORDER DT.29.8.12 PASSED BY

THE R2 PRODUCED AS ANN-C TO C21 RESPECTIVELY.

THESE PETITIONS COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY

HEARING, THIS DAY, CHIEF JUSTICE MADE THE

FOLLOWING:

O R D E R

VIKRAMAJIT SEN, CJ (Oral)

Sri.R.G.Kolle, AGA accepts notice on behalf of respondent Nos.1 and 3.

Sri.D.Nagaraj, Advocate accepts notice for respondent

No.2.

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2. It is not in dispute that the question which arises for consideration in these petitions is covered on all fours by the order dated 21.11.2012 in WP No.41069/2012. For facility of reference it is reproduced below;

“In the present case, by Gazette Notification dated 14.8.2012 safer zones in Haveri had been duly notified to the public. Section 3 (3) of the Karnataka Regulation of Stones Crushers Act, 2011 (for short ‘the Act’) permits a period of three months to existing Stone Crusher Units to trans locate themselves to safer zones. In this regard an application has to be filed with the Licensing Authority within a reasonable time. Unfortunately, the Act does not prescribe this period. In the present case, the Petitioner applied to the Licensing Authority on 24.9.2012. It is not disputed that consequent upon the Petitioner’s application, the Licensing Authority till date has neither granted or refused the license under the provisions of the said Act. Since Section 3(4) of the Act prescribes an outer limit of six months for shifting from the date of grant, it could be inferred that the Application has to be made within three months of the requisite Gazetting of the safer zones.

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2. In these circumstances, the Petition is allowed by directing the Respondents to permit the operation of the Petitioner at the present site up to 23.12.2012 or till such time the application is considered and disposed of, by the Licensing Authority.

3. Learned counsel for the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (for short ‘the Board’) submits that the Petitioner did not apply for the consent of the Board on the expiry of the previous consent on 30.06.2012. In normal circumstances, the contention would be well founded since no one is permitted to operate without a current permission or consent.

4. In the circumstances of the present case however, a piquant situation has arisen, inasmuch as the Pollution Control Board cannot grant permission to the Petitioner to operate in its present site, since it must statutorily relocate to a safer zone as identified by the State. Needless to add that if and when the petitioner is granted a license to relocate a safer zone, conditions under Section 6 (9) of the Act will have to be complied with as also the permission would have to be obtained from the Board.

5. With these observations, the Petition is allowed and Annexure-H dated 5.9.2012 is quashed.”

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3. In these circumstances Annexures-C to C21 are quashed. As indicated in the aforesaid order, similar directions would apply in these cases also.

Writ petitions are allowed. No costs.

Sd/- CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/- JUDGE

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