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IN THE HIGH COURT OF AT Dated this the 10 th day of December, 2012 PRESENT THE HON’BLE MR.VIKRAMAJIT SEN, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON’BLE MRS.JUSTICE B.V.NAGARATHNA WP Nos.49077-49111/2012 (GM-MM-S)

BETWEEN :

1. HANUMAN STONE CRUSHER PROP: NINGAPPA MARADEEPA HULIGEMMANAVAR AGE 46 YARS AT TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: .

2. MAHADEV STONE CRUSHER PROP: SMT. DEVIKA PATIL W/O VEERANGOWDA C PATIL AGE: 63 YEARS OLD AT TQ RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

3. BASAVESHWAR STONE CRUSHER PROP: NAGARAJ, FAKKIRAPPA, BIDARI AGE 34 YEARS AT:KAMADOD TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

4. TUNGA STONE CRUSHER PROP: NAGARAJ, FAKKIRAPPA, BIDARI AGE 34 YEARS AT:KAMADOD TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

5. PADMANANDA STONE CRUSHER PROP: SMT KAVERI DILLIWALA W/O SURESH DILLIWALA AGE 36 YEARS, POST KAMADOD TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

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6. B G BUDIHALMATH STONE CRUSHER PROP: BALACHANDRAYYA, GURUBASAYYA, BUDIHALAMATH AGE 69 YEARS AT KAMDOD TQ: RANEBENNUR – 581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

7. LAXMI STONE CRUSHER PROP: MANJESHWAR KENKODHA S/O UMAPATI AGE 46 YEARS AT KAMDOD TQ: RANEBENNUR - 581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

8. VINAY ROCK PRODUCTS PROP: MAHENDRAGOUDA PARAMESHGOUDA PATIL AGE 46 YEARS AT KAMDOD TQ:RANEBENNUR 581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

9. PRAKASH STONE CRUSHER PROP: KRISHNAPPA BHIMAPPA KADUR AGE 73 YEARS KAMDOD TQ:RANEBENNUR 581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

10. VIGNESHWAR STONE CRUSHER SMT LALITHA SHANKRAPPA BYADGI AGE 48 YEARS AT KAMDOD TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

11. TARALABALU STONE CRUSHER PROP: PARAMESHAPPA, BASAPPA, GULANNAVA AGE 35 YEARS RANEBENNUR-581115 RANEBENNUR TALUK DISTRICT: HAVERI.

12. BALAJI STONE CRUSHER PROP: NARAYANANREDDY VENAKAREDDY AJAREDDY AGE 35 YEARS

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HULIHOLLI TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

13. VINAY STONE CRUSHER PROP: KARABASAPPA, VERRAPPA BALLARI AGE 46 YEARS TQ: BYADGI – 581106 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

14. SHREE FAKKIRESHWARA STONE CRUSHER PROPRIETOR: SANTHOSH VEERAYYA HIREMATH AGE 35 YEARS CHATRA PO: KOKAL TQ: BYADGI-581106 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

15. S V STONE CRUSHER PROP: BASAVARAJ CHANABASAYYA HAVERIMATH AGE 47 YEARS POST: MOTEBENNUR TQ: BYADGI-581106 DISTRICT: HAVERI.

16. DURGE STONE CRUSHER PROP: DR. DEEPAK VEERAYYA, HIREMATH AGE 35 YEARS CHHATRA POST: KAKOL TQ: BYADGI DIST: HAVERI-581106.

17. PRUTHVI STONE CRUSHER PROP: SMT PRATIBHA VEERAYYA HIREMATH AGE 57 YEARS CHATRA POST KOKAL TQ: BYADGI DIST: HAVERI-581106.

18. BASAWESWARA STONE CRUSHER PROP:- SMT. SHAILA, CHENNAPPA, BALLARI, AGE 40 YEARS, RANEBENNUR, -581115.

19. MAILARJUN STONE CRUSHER PROP: PUTTANGOWDA, BASANAGOWDA PATIL,

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AGE 48 YEARS, MOTEBENNUR, BYADGI TALUK, HAVERI DISTRICT-581106.

20. SHRI.MANJUNATH SWAMY STONE CRUSHER SMT. LALITHA MRUTHTYJAYA HIREMATH, AGE 49 YEARS, MOTEBENNUE, BYADGI TQ., HAVERI -581106.

21. SANZAR STONE CRUSHER PROP:- AJAMKHAN AHMEDKHAN DESAI, AGE 35 YEARS, POST LAXMISHWAR, SHITAHATTI TQ., GADAG DIST-582116.

22. DURGADEVI STONE CRUSHER PROP:- ARJUN GUDDAPPA HANCHINAMANI, MAJOR, AT POST SHIGGAON, DIST: HAVERI - 581106.

23. VIJAYALAKSHMI STONE CRUSHER PROP: SMT. PARAVVA, KACHAVI W/O VEERYPAKSHAPPA KACHAVI, MAJOR, POST BULLAPUR, TQ, HAVERI DIST - 581106..

24. GURU STONE CRUSHER PROP:- GUDDANGOUDA NAGANGOUDA PATIGOUDA, AGE 37 YEARS, POST RATTIHALI, TQ: HIREJERUR, DIST: HAVERI - 581106.

25. SIDDIVINAYAKA STONE CRUSHER PROP: GUDDAPPA, KARIYALAPPA NAPOORI, AGE 38 YEARS, POST DEVARAGUDA, TQ: RANEBENNUR-581115, HAVERI DIST.

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26. S.B.DODDAGOUDA STONE CRUSHER PROP:- SHANKARGOUDA BASANAGOUDA DODDAGOUDAR, MAJOR, POST RANEBENNUR, RANEBENNUR TQ-581115, DIST HAVERI.

27. TULAJABHAVANI STONE CRUSHER PROP: RUDRAPPA MANAPPA LAMANI, AGE 51 YEARS, RENEBENNUR POST, HAVERI DIST-581115

28. VINAY JELLY MAKERS PROP: JAGADISH CHANDRASHEKARAPPA BALLARY, AGE 33 YEARS, POST MOTEBENNUR, TQ BYADGI-581106 DIST: HAVERI.

29. NANDEESHWAR STONE CRUSHER AGE 62 YEARS, PROP: SIDDAPPA MALIYAPPA BIDARI, POST KAMDOD, TQ. RANEBENNUR, DIST HAVERI-581115.

30. VEERABHADRESHWAR STONE CRUSHER PROP: RAMESH VEERABHADRAPPA TEGGIHALLI, MAJOR, POST HUNGUND, TQ SHIGGAON, DIST HAVERI - 581106.

31. NATARAJ STONE CRUSHER PROP: L.SRINIVAS RAO, AGE 42 YEARS, VIDYANAGAR, POST ,DHARWAD DIST.

32. MALTESH STONE CRUSHER PROP: SMT.SHARMILA ASHOK DUMMAL, AGE 41 YEARS, POST HAVERI DIST: HAVERI.

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33. AMBADHAVANI STONE CRUSHER PROP: ASHOK T.DUMMAL, AGE 52 YEARS, POST: MOTEBENNUR, TQ BYADGI-581106 DIST: HAVERI.

34. GEETHA STONE CRUSHER PROP: RAVI DHEERENDRA RAO DESHPANDE, AGE 35 YEARS, POST HANAGAL, DIST HAVERI -581106 .

35. AKSHAY STONE METALS PROP: SMT. VIJAYALAKSHMI SATHISH DESHAPANDE, AGE 38 YEARS, POST HANAGAL, HAVERI DIST-581106. ... PETITIONERS

(BY SRI K CHANDRANATH ARIGA, ADV.)

AND :

1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KANIJA ABHAVAN, RACE COURSE ROAD, BANGALORE-560001, BY ITS DIRECTOR.

2. REGIONAL OFFICE, KAORNATAKA STATE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD, FIRST FLOOR, PATVEGARA COMPLEX, NEAR BY HESCOM, P.B.ROAD, HAVERI.

3. THE DEPUTY COMMISSISONER HAVERI DISTRICT, HAVERI.

4. THE MANAGING DIRECTOR HESCOM, P.B.ROAD, HUBLI. ... RESPONDENTS (BY SRI R.G. KOLLE, AGA FOR R1 & R3 & SRI D. NAGARAJ, ADV. FOR R2 SRI.N.KRISHNANANDA GUPTA, ADV. FOR R.4)

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THESE WRIT PETITIONS ARE FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 AND 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF PRAYING TO DIRECT THE RESPONDENTS TO PERMIT THE OPERATION OF THE PETITIONERS UNIT AT THE PRESENT SITE TILL THEIR APPLICATION FOR LICENSE IS CONCERNED AND ETC.,

THESE WRIT PETITIONS COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING THIS DAY, CHIEF JUSTICE MADE THE FOLLOWING:

O R D E R

VIKRAMAJIT SEN, C.J. (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.

Sri.N.Krishnananda Gupta, Advocate accepts notice for respondent no.4.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.”

3. In these circumstances Annexure-A is 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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