K.Anandkumar v. The District Collector
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 24.11.2025
CORAM:
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M. DHANDAPANI and W.M.P. No.50000 of 2025 K.Anandkumar Petitioner Vs
1. The District Collector Collectorate, Coimbatore 641 018.
2.The Revenue Divisional Officer Coimbatore (North) Venkateswara Nagar, Kavundampalayam 641 030 3.The Deputy Director Department of Geology and Mining , State Bank Road, Coimbatore 641 018.
4.The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Ramasamy Nagar, Coimbatore North, Kavundampalayam 641 030 1/7
5.The Member Secretary State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Panagal Maaligai, 1 Jeenis Road, Saidapet, Chennai 15 6.M/s. Saravana Blue Metals Industry Rep. by its Managing Partner, R.K. Selvakumar, 63/1 -A2- B Ramapalayam Jadayampalayam 641 302 Mettupalayam Taluk Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents 1 to 5 to prevent the 6th respondent from carrying on illegal rough stone quarry operation in SF Nos.33/2, 34/1, 34/2A(pt) and 40/1(pt) Jadayampalayam Village, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore district for indiscriminate quarrying of rough stones in violation of all rules and not to entertain any renewal of lease for causing potential threat to the petitioners life and property by considering his representation dated 26.09.2025.
For petitioner : Ms.M. Adhishree For respondents : Mr.Stalin Abimanyu Addl. Govt. Pleader for R1 to R4 Mr.Venkataswamy Babu for R5
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed seeking a direction to the respondents 1 to 5 to prevent the 6th respondent from carrying on illegal rough stone quarry operation in SF Nos.33/2, 34/1, 34/2A(pt) and 40/1(pt) Jadayampalayam 2/7
Village, Mettupalayam Taluk, Coimbatore district for indiscriminate quarrying of rough stones in violation of all rules and not to entertain any renewal of lease for causing potential threat to the petitioner's life and property by considering his representation dated 26.09.2025.
2. The petitioner is the owner of certain agricultural lands in Jadayampalayam Village, Coimbatore District and is engaged in cultivation therein for eking out his livelihood. While so, the 6th respondent, who is the adjacent land owner, had applied for and obtained a quarry lease from respondents 1 and 3 to carry out quarrying operations for rough stone and gravel during the years 2020 and 2021. The said quarry lease was subsequently renewed and the same is valid up to the year 2026, based on an agreement entered into with the competent authorities.
3. It is the specific contention of the petitioner that the 6th respondent has been carrying on quarry operations without obtaining mandatory consent to operate from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. Further, it came to light that the 6th respondent had approached the 5th respondent / State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) seeking Environmental Clearance, which was rejected by order dated 07.05.2024. Thereafter, the 6th respondent 3/7
preferred an appeal in Appeal No.47 of 2024 before the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, Chennai, and the said appeal was allowed on 25.03.2025, directing the 5th respondent / SEIAA to reconsider the application for Environmental Clearance. It is the grievance of the petitioner that the respondents ought not to grant permission to 6th respondent to carry on quarry operations without obtaining clearances and therefore narrating the aforesaid aspects, he submitted a detailed representation dated 26.09.2025 before the respondents 1 to 5 and raised objections. However, no action has been taken on the said representation till date. Hence, this writ petition.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that permitting the 6th respondent to carry on quarry operations without obtaining all requisite statutory licences and clearances would have a serious adverse impact on the environment and ecological balance in the locality. She further submitted that as per the official website, Environmental Clearance appears to have been granted by the 5th respondent in favour of the 6th respondent, without considering the objections raised by the petitioner. In view of the above, she prayed before this Court to issue appropriate directions to the respondents 1 to 5.
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5. Learned Additional Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 4 has no objection for such an order being passed and he fairly conceded that the said representation of the petitioner will be considered by the 1st respondent and disposed of in accordance with the law within the time stipulated by this Court.
6. Learned counsel appearing for the 5th respondent submitted that pursuant to the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal, the application submitted by the 6th respondent was reconsidered by the 5th respondent in accordance with law and appropriate orders were passed, strictly following the statutory provisions. Therefore, this Court may issue directions accordingly to consider the petitioner's representation.
7. Recording the aforesaid submissions and considering the limited relief sought for by the petitioner, this Court directs the 1st respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 26.09.2025 in the light of the applicable statutory provisions, the orders passed by the National Green Tribunal, and after affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner as well as the 6th respondent, and pass appropriate orders on merits and in accordance with law, within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion on the merits of the case.
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8. With the aforesaid directions, this writ petition stands disposed of. No costs. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petition is closed. 24.11.2025 Index:Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order vsi2 To
1. The District Collector Collectorate, Coimbatore 641 018.
2.The Revenue Divisional Officer Coimbatore (North) Venkateswara Nagar, Kavundampalayam 641 030 3.The Deputy Director Department of Geology and Mining , State Bank Road, Coimbatore 641 018.
4.The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Ramasamy Nagar, Coimbatore North, Kavundampalayam 641 030 5.The Member Secretary State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Panagal Maaligai, 1 Jeenis Road, Saidapet, Chennai 15 6/7
M. DHANDAPANI, J.
vsi2 6.The Managing Partner, M/s. Saravana Blue Metals Industry R.K. Selvakumar, 63/1 -A2- B Ramapalayam Jadayampalayam 641 302 Mettupalayam Taluk and W.M.P. No.50000 of 2025 24.11.2025 7/7