Mathai v. The District Geologist
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT:
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.MUHAMED MUSTAQUE MONDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF NOVEMBER 2015/2ND AGRAHAYANA, 1937 WP(C).No. 35462 of 2015 (G) ---------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S):
---------------------- MATHAI, AGED 63 YEARS, S/O.VARGHESE, VATTAKATTU, VELIYANAD P.O., EDAKKATTUVAYAL VILLAGE, KANAYANNUR TALUK, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT.
BY ADV. SRI.P.M.ZIRAJ RESPONDENT(S):
------------------------- 1.
THE DISTRICT GEOLOGIST, DEPARTMENT OF MINING AND GEOLOGY, ERNAKULAM DISTRICT - 682 030.
2.
THE DIRECTOR, MINING AND GEOLOGY, OFFICE OF THE MINING AND GEOLOGY, KESAVADASAPPURAM, PATTAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695 001.
3.
THE STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRIES DEPARTMENT, GOVERNMENT OF KERALA, GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - 695 001.
BY GOVERNMENT PLEADER SMT.C.K.SHERIN THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23-11-2015, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: msv/
WP(C).No. 35462 of 2015 (G) ---------------------------------------- APPENDIX PETITIONER(S)' EXHIBITS:
-------------------------------------- EXT.P1; TRUE COPY OF THE NO OBJECTION CERTIFICATE DTD.17.9.2015 ISSUED BY THE SECRETARY EDAKKATTUVAYAL GRAMA PANCHAYATH. EXT.P2: TRUE COPY OF THE APPLICATION SUBMITTED BY THE PETITIONER BEFORE THE FIRST RESPONDENT DTD.30.10.2015.
EXT.P3: TRUE COPY OF THE JUDGMENT OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT DTD.10.9.2015 IN WP(C) NO.27299/2015.
RESPONDENT(S)' EXHIBITS:
----------------------------------------- NIL //TRUE COPY// P.S.TO JUDGE Msv/
A.MUHAMED MUSTAQUE, J.
***************************************************************************** W.P.(C) No.35462 of 2015 ****************************************************************************** Dated this the 23rd day of November, 2015
JUDGMENT
The case of the petitioner is that, on the strength of Ext.P1 No Objection Certificate, the petitioner intends to construct a residential building for which purpose ordinary earth has to be removed from the property. But when the petitioner approached the 1st respondent/District Geologist with a request for issuance of Mineral Transit pass to transport the ordinary earth from his property, it was refused to be acted upon.
2. Heard the learned Government Pleader as well.
3. By virtue of Rule 14 of the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015 the persons doing construction of residential building including flats or commercial buildings having a plinth area upto 300 square metres are exempted from obtaining quarrying permit under the Rules, if the owner of the land has obtained a prior valid permit for construction of such building from the concerned Local Self Government authority. The said Rule reads as follows:
W.P.(C) No.35462 of 2015 2 "14. Quarrying permit for Ordinary earth:
(1) A quarrying permit under these rules shall be obtained for extraction of ordinary earth used for filling or levelling purposes in construction of embankments, roads, railways or buildings in Form N:
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), no quarrying permit is required under these rules for extraction of ordinary earth in connection with the construction of residential buildings including flats or commercial buildings having a plinth area of 300 square metres if the owner of the land obtained a prior valid permit for construction of such building from the Local Self Government authorities concerned;
Provided that in cases where transportation of ordinary earth is required, the owner shall pay royalty for the quantity to be transported and shall obtain mineral transit passes under the Kerala State Minerals (Prevention of illegal mining, storage and transportation) Rules, 2015 from the competent authority;
Provided further that the competent authority shall not issue mineral transit passes for removal of ordinary earth exceeding the quantity needed to be extracted, as ascertained by it through a site inspection."
W.P.(C) No.35462 of 2015 3 4.
In the above facts and circumstances, 1st respondent/District Geologist is directed to issue 'Mineral Transit Pass' in Form O(A) of the Kerala Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Storage and Transportation) Rules, 2015 (for brevity "Prevention Act"], on being satisfied with the genuineness of the claim of the petitioner based on Ext.P1 in accordance with law, which shall be done at the earliest, at any rate, within two weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. The petitioner shall produce a copy of this judgment along with a copy of the writ petition before the first respondent/District Geologist for further steps.
The writ petition is disposed of as above.
Sd/- A.MUHAMED MUSTAQUE, JUDGE ln