4. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties and looking to the materials available on record, it appears that the petitioners have made their respective applications before the appropriate authority for grant of stone mining lease in the year 2016. The respondents in their counter-affidavit have admitted that Letters of Intent (LoI) have been issued to the petitioners and the mining plans have also been approved by the competent authority. So far as the environmental clearance is concerned, the same is kept in abeyance awaiting the clarification sought by the respondent no. 2 vide letter contained in memo no. 1887 dated 08.09.2017 from the Mines Commissioner, Department of Industries, Mines and Geology, Government of Jharkhand, Ranchi, who has not yet been responded. Thus, it appears that no decision has been taken by the DEIAA, Pakur on the petitioners’ applications for grant of environmental clearance for more than a year. In view of the said fact, the respondent no. 2, who is also the Chairman of DEIAA, Pakur, is directed to take appropriate decision on the applications of the petitioners for grant of environmental clearance, preferably within a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt/production of a copy of this order. It is made clear that this Court has not gone into the merits of the case.
