South Zone Math Splints & v. The Member Secretary

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 09.08.2017

CORAM:

THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE M.M.SUNDRESH AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.SATHISH KUMAR W.P.(MD).Nos.9819 and 13656 of 2015 & M.P.(MD).Nos.1 and 3 of 2015 W.P.(MD).No.9819 of 2015 South Zone Math Splints & Veneers Trader's Welfare Association (Regd.No.65/04), Rep. by its Secretary, K.Sermakani, No.1/5, Industrial Estate, : Petitioner Vs.

1. The Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee, 2nd Floor, Chankya Bhavan, Chankyapuri, New Delhi-110 021.

2. The Principal Chief Conservator Forest, Panagal Maligai, Saidapet, Chennai.

3. The Principal Secretary/Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., No.144, Anna Salai, Chennai -2.

4. The Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., Distribution and Maintenance, Tuticorin District.

5. The District Forest Officer, Office of the District Forest Officer, Thoothukudi,

6. The Forest Ranger, Office of the Forest Ranger, Kovilpatti Range,

7. S.Janardhanan S/o.Sundaram, Balaji Wood Industries, D.No.410A/2, Thittankulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

8. D.Krishnamoorthi, S/o.S.S.Duraisamy Nadar, Library Match Company Unit-II, 196/5, Manthithoppu, Kovilpatti,

9. N.Ethiraj, S/o.K.Nanthiraj Sri Navin Industries, 649 A/3, South Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

10. R.S.Lakshmi, W/o.Ravisankar, 497G/1, Plot No.64, SIDCO Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

11. Rajesh Kannan, S/o.A.Kandasamy, Proprietor, M/s.Jeya Industries, 4196/1, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

12. P.Jeyalakshmi

13. P.Ramachandran S/o.P.Palanichamy D.No.497 D/1, SIDCO, Thittangulam,

14. R.Vinod Prabhakaran Proprietor, Vinod Traders, Plot No.60, D.No.779/1, SIDCO, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

15. P.Gopal S/O.Periyamadan

16. G.Kathiresan,

17. Guruvammal,

18. L.Karpaga Jothi

19.V.Subbulakshmi 20.V.Jeyalakshmi 21.S.Selvamani 22.S.Subramaniyan 23.R.Vasu @ Raj 24.S.Rathina Kumar S/O.R.Shanmugakani M/s.Arunachala Wood Industries, Door No.514-A/3, South Thittankulam Village, Kovilpatti, 25.P.Seenivasan S/o.Perumalsamy SAI Wood Industries, G-4, Industrial Estate, Ettayapuram Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

26.R.Femina 27.K.Mariyappan 28.Ayyadurai 29.M.Balasubramanian S/O.Mariappa Nadar, M/s.Uma Industries, SIDCO, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

30.S.K.Ramasubu, S/O.Kandasamy, Sree Murugan Match Industries, Koppampatti, Thoothukudi District.

31.N.Venkadachalapathy 32.Subbiya Nadar S/O.Sivananainda Nadar, Anns Industries, Ettayapuram Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

33.Vengada Subraminiya Raja, S/O.M.Balasubramanian, K.M.Industries, Ettayapuram Main Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi.

34.Thilagavathy, Proprietrix, M/s.Jai Sakhi Industries, 21, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Thittankulam, Kovilpatti, 35.N.Srinivasa Nadar.

36.Kamalam 37.Santhanam 38.Indra Ramamoorthy 39.S.Chandrasekaran 40.T.Ganapathy

41.M.Lakshmanamoorthy 42.M.Kombaiah 43.K.Rajammal 44.Chellamari 45.M.Ponusamy 46.D.Rajan 47.I.Subburaj 48.A.Dhanabalan Mosi, S/O.Ayyanadar, Proprietor, Murugan Enterprises, SIDCO, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

49.M.R.Thilagaraj 50.J.Kamala Engle 51.K.Kannan 52.P.Velu : Respondents (R7 to R52 impleaded vide Court order dated 07.08.2015 in M.P. (MD).No.4 of 2015) PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Certiorari calling for the entire records pertaining to the impugned order issued by the first respondent in his proceedings in File No.2-31/CEC/SC/2103-Pt V, dated 06.04.2015 and quash the same.

For Petitioner : Mr.AR.L.Sundaresan Senior Counsel for Mr.P.Banuprasath For Respondents : Mrs.Victoria Gowri for R1 Mr.M.Murugan for R2, R5 & R6 Government Advocate Mr.M.Anantha Padmanabhan for R7 to R52 No appearance for R3 & R4 W.P.(MD).No.13656 of 2015 South Zone Math Splints & Veneers Trader's Welfare Association (Regd.No.65/04), Rep. by its Secretary, K.Sermakani, 1/5, Industrial Estate, : Petitioner Vs.

1. The State of Tamil Nadu Rep. by its Principal Secretary, Tamil Nadu Forest Department, St.George Fort, Chennai.

2.The Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee, 2nd Floor, Chankya Bhavan, Chankyapuri, New Delhi-110 021.

3.The Principal Chief Conservator Forest, Panagal Maligai, Saidapet, Chennai.

4.The Principal Secretary/ Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., No.144, Anna Salai, Chennai -2.

5.The Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., Distribution and Maintenance, Tuticorin District.

6.The District Forest Officer, Office of the District Forest Officer, Thoothukudi, 7.The Forest Ranger, Office of the Forest Ranger, Kovilpatti Range, 8.S.Janardhanan S/o.Sundaram, Balaji Wood Industries, D.No.410A/2, Thittankulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

9.D.Krishnamoorthi, S/o.S.S.Duraisamy Nadar, Library Match Company Unit-II, 196/5, Manthithoppu, Kovilpatti, 10.N.Ethiraj, S/o.K.Nanthiraj Sri Navin Industries, 649 A/3, South Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

11.R.S.Lakshmi, W/o.Ravisankar

12.Rajesh Kannan, S/o.A.Kandasamy, Proprietor, M/s.Jeya Industries, 4196/1, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

13.P.Jeyalakshmi 14.P.Ramachandran 15.R.Vinod Prabhakaran Proprietor, Vinod Traders, Plot No.60, D.No.779/1, SIDCO, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District. 16.P.Gopal 17.G.Kathiresan, 18.Guruvammal, 19.L.Karpaga Jothi 20.V.Subbulakshmi 21.V.Jeyalakshmi 22.S.Selvamani 23.S.Subramaniyan 24.R.Vasu @ Raj 25.S.Rathina Kumar S/O.R.Shanmugakani M/s.Arunachala Wood Industries, 26.P.Seenivasan S/o.Perumalsamy SAI Wood Industries, G-4, Industrial Estate, Ettayapuram Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

27.R.Femina 28.K.Mariyappan 29.Ayyadurai 30.M.Balasubramanian S/O.Mariappa Nadar, M/s.Uma Industries, SIDCO, Thittangulam, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

31.S.K.Ramasubu, S/O.Kandasamy, Sree Murugan Match Industries, Koppampattim, Thoothukudi District.

32.N.Venkadachalapathy 33.Subbiya Nadar S/O.Sivananainda Nadar, Anns Industries, Ettayapuram Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

34.Vengada Subraminiya Raja, S/O.M.Balasubramanian, K.M.Industries, Ettayapuram Main Road, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi.

35.Thilagavathy, Proprietrix, M/s.Jai Sakhi Industries, 21, SIDCO Industrial Estate, Thittankulam, Kovilpatti,

36. N.Srinivasa Nadar 37.Kamalam 38.Santhanam 39.Indra Ramamoorthy 40.S.Chandrasekaran 41.T.Ganapathy 42.M.Lakshmanamoorthy 43.M.Kombaiah 44.K.Rajammal 45.Chellamari 46.M.Ponusamy 47.D.Rajan 48.I.Subburaj 49.A.Dhanabalan Mosi, S/O.Ayyanadar, Proprietor, Murugan Enterprises, SIDCO, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

50.M.R.Thilagaraj 51.J.Kamala Engle 52.K.Kannan 53.P.Velu : Respondents (R8 to R53 impleaded vide Court order dated 01.10.2015 in M.P. (MD).No.2 of 2015) PRAYER: Writ Petition is filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to issue a writ of Declaration declaring the Government Order issued by the first respondent in his proceedings in G.O.Ms.No.79 Environment and Forests (FR-13) Department, dated 23.07.2015 amending rule 14 of Tamil Nadu Regulation of Wood Base Industries Rules in so far as it exempts Match Splint Industries from the purview of Tamil Nadu Regulation of Wood Base Industries Rules as ultra vires the Constitution of India. For Petitioner : Mr.AR.L.Sundaresan Senior Counsel for Mr.P.Banuprasath For Respondents : Mr.M.Murugan for R1, R3, R6 & R7 Government Advocate Mrs.Victoria Gowri for R2 Mr.M.Anantha Padmanabhan for R8 to R53 No appearance for R4 & R5

COMMON ORDER [Order of the Court was made by M.M.SUNDRESH,J] W.P.(MD)No.13656 of 2015 has been filed seeking a writ of Declaration declaring the Government Order issued by the first respondent in his proceedings in G.O.Ms.No.79 Environment and Forests (FR-13) Department, dated 23.07.2015 amending rule 14 of Tamil Nadu Regulation of Wood Base Industries Rules in so far as it exempts Match Splint Industries from the purview of Tamil Nadu Regulation of Wood Base Industries Rules as ultra vires the Constitution of India.

2. The learned Senior appearing for the petitioner would submit that in view of subsequent guideline come into force as Wood-Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016, a license is mandatory for screening by the State Level Committee.

3. The learned counsel appearing for the contesting respondents would submit as per the earlier provisions contained in Tamil Nadu Regulation of Wood Based Industries Rules 2010 and G.O.Ms.No.79 Environment and Forests (FR-13) Department, dated 23.07.2015, permission has been obtained from the Central Empowered Committee.

4. We do not propose to go into the issue as to which Rule or guideline would follow. Even according to the petitioner, it is the guideline of the year 2016, dated 22.09.2016 would follow. If that is the case, there is no need to challenge the present impugned regulation. In such view of the matter, writ petitions are dismissed as infructuous. However, liberty is given to the petitioner to work out their remedy in the manner known to law, if he is so desire. We make it clear it is for the respondent 1 and its officials to take a decision in this regard. Consequently, connected miscellaneous petitions are closed. Sd/- Assistant Registrar(CO) /True Copy/ Sub Assistant Registrar To

1. The Principal Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Forest Department, St.George Fort, Chennai.

2. The Member Secretary, Central Empowered Committee, 2nd Floor, Chankya Bhavan, Chankyapuri, New Delhi-110 021.

3. The Principal Chief Conservator Forest, Panagal Maligai, Saidapet, Chennai.

4. The Principal Secretary/ Chairman and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., No.144, Anna Salai, Chennai -2.

5. The Executive Engineer, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Ltd., Distribution and Maintenance, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin District.

6. The District Forest Officer, Office of the District Forest Officer, Thoothukudi, Thoothukudi District.

7. The Forest Ranger, Office of the Forest Ranger, Kovilpatti Range, Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi District.

+2cc to Mrs. Victoria Gowri, Advocate Sr.No.71755 +1cc to Mr.P.Banuprasath, Advocate Sr.No.71738 +1cc to Mr.M.Anantha Padmanabhan, Advocate Sr.No.71753 +1cc to Spl.Government Pleader Sr.No.72041 JIKR VB/SKN/SAR1/23.08.2017/9P/13C COMMON ORDER MADE IN W.P.(MD).Nos.9819 and 13656 of 2015 & M.P.(MD).Nos.1 and 3 of 2015 09.08.2017