Allowed

The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director v. Gadeela Raghuveer Reddy

Telangana HC13 Jun 2023WP/14726/2023

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Two writ petitions challenging an ex parte interim stay order by the National Green Tribunal were filed. The High Court found the Tribunal violated principles of natural justice by not issuing notice to affected parties before passing the order. The stay was set aside, and the matter remanded to the Tribunal for the scheduled hearing.

What did the court decide?

The ex parte interim stay order dated 31.05.2023 passed by the National Green Tribunal was set aside, and the matter remanded for fresh consideration.

The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Vs… — Environment and Pollution | Telangana HC (2023)

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Is3{1 ]

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HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction)

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TUESDAY, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF JUNE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY THREE

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PRESENT

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THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE UJJAL BHUYAN AND

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THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE N.TUKARAMJI

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WRIT PETITION NOS: 14415 AND 14726 OF 2023

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W.P.No.14415 ot 2023

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Between:

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M/s Kaveri Engineering Projects Pvt. Ltd., A Company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 Having its office at Flat No.203, Pavani Avenue, H.No. 6-3-1089/1/1, Raj Bhavan Road, Somaguda, Hyderabad, Telangana State. Rep. by it's Authorized Signatory.

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Mls. Challa lnfra Projects Pvt. Ltd., A Company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 Having its office at Flat No.401, Sri Venkateswara Pride Apartments, H.No.5-9-22l3, Adarsh Nagar Hyderabad, Telangana State. Rep. by it's Authorized Signatory.

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...PETITIONERS

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AND

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Gadeela Raghuveer Reddy, S/o Gadeela Narasimha Reddy, Occ ; Business, R/o.H.No.3-1 1 Kondapaka Village and Mandal Siddipet District, Telganana State.

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A Kamakar Reddy, S/o Hanumantha Reddy Occ. Retd. Employee, R/o 3-37, Madaka Village Odela Mandal, Peddapally District.

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the Union of lndia, Rep. by its Secretary, Ministryof Environment, Forest and Climate Change, lndira Paryavaran Bhavan, Jog Bagh Road, New Delhi 1 10 003.

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The State of Telangana, Rep. by its Special Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest, Science and Technology, Secretariat Buildings, Saifabad,^Hyderabad.

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The State Level Environmental lmpact Assessment Authority,^{Rep by its} Member Secretary Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change^4th Floor, Aranya Bhavan, Saifabad Hyderabad, Telangana.

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The Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation^{Limited, Rqp. by its} the Vice Chairman and Managing Director, M/S 6-2-915, HMWSSB^Premises, Rear Block, 3rd Floor, Khairathabad, Hyderabad, 500004.

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7 The Telanctar a State Pollution Control Board. Rel by it; l4entber Secretary, Paryavararra lhavan, A-3 lndustrial Estate, Sana:h^Na1 a',^H'rderaoad- 50001 8

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The Decarlm' rnl of Mines and Geology, Rep,^{by its} Dirr:r1or,^{tvly Home} Sarover Plazi , I=lat No. 203 and 204,2nd Floor, House^(o. 5-322, Shapunvaci , tdarshnagar, Secretariat Road, Hydt:ralta(^-500t'63.

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The Districl C rllector and Chairperson, District Level Sa rd Conmittee, Jayashank;rr 3hupalapally District, Telangana

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The Envrronn errtal Engineer, Rcgional Office, Telangan t fltat: Pollution Control Boarc Elhupalapally, Jayashankar Bhupalapally^Di ;trit{.

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1 1 . The Exercutivt E ngineer, lrrigation Circle, Bhupalapally,^. avashankar Bhupalapally )istrict.

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12.The Executivr Engineer, lrrigation Circle, Bhupalapally, . a1'ashankar Bhupala^pal y^r )i:;trict.

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13.M/s. RSR lnfri r lVorks (lndia) Pvt. Ltd., Office at Flat No. 18, Kundapur, Hyderabad, T, rlz ngana.

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14.M/s. BSCPL- lr frlstructure Ltd., Rep. by its director Sariluatta l'lumar S/o. [/V Krishna ltilu.th z, East Marredpally, Hyderabad.

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'15.Sai Ram Gran tes, a registered Partnership Firm Jyothini gitr, l(arimnagar District, Telanr tala - 505001.

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16.M/s. Sudhakar a lnfra Tech Pvt Ltd., Flat No- 304, lrletro Re;ide,ncy, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad- 500082.

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R.K. lnfracorp^pvt Ltd, Flat No 207, Lumbini Enclave, Of^p. Nltt/S, Panjagutta, Hyderabad-50 )082.

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18.M/s. Suryodayr lnfra Projects lndia Pvt Ltd, Address at7 1-644, Plot No.45, 1st Floor, Sunr le' Nagar Colony, Near ESI Hospital, Hydt rabac-500038.

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...RESPONDENTS

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Petition Unde l\rticle 226 of the Constitution ol lndia pray'ng that in the circumstances state I in the affidavit filed therewith, the tlic h^(lourt may^be pleased to issue a V'rit, Order or Direction more particularly tne in the nature of a WRIT OF MANDA VIUS, declaring the lnterim Order dated^3'l .0[i.2023^passed in O.A. No. 68 ol 2C 2i; by the Hon'ble National Green Tribu ra , Southern Zone, Chennai, as arbitri rry,, illegal, high handed, caprir;ious, f erverse, without application of rnind, virlate the fundamental rights^guarante3d to the^petitioner herein under Articles 1 1, 19(1)(g), 21 of the Constitution of lnrltz apart from being in violation of Sectio r 19 of National Green Tribunal Ar;t, 20- 0 and Principles of Natural Justice anc 'air play and consequently declare tl- e action of the Respondents in with-rclding the Petitioners from^proceeding with the activity of desilting in Rivr:r I,4a rair as^per its Agreement^(Ref- No. Cont'a{;t Agreement^No. TStt/DC/Tad ich erla- 2 (V) / Malhar Rao (M) / Jayasha tkar Bhupapapally Dist.,/Sand/Leg all20', 2 entered into cin 10.11.2022 and T{^M DC/Tad icherla-1 , Block-1 / Malhar Ra c (M) / Jayashankar Bhupapapally Dis^.,r Satrd/Leg all2O23 entered into on 17.0 1.:2023 also as illegal and also conseqL errtly^set aside the impugned order of tl e National Green^Tribunal dated^{31 .5.2Oi'3} ltassed^{in 0 A}

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No 68 of 2023 while further directing the Respondents to^permit the Petitioners to carry on the desilting activity for excavation of sand from submergence and upstream of check dam in Manair River Telangana State forthwith.

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|.A.NO:1 OF 2023

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Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to SUSPEND the Operation of the order dated 31 .05.2023^passed in O.A. No. 68 of 2023 by the Hon'ble National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone at Chennai so far as the Petitioners herein are concerned and such other agreements entered^jnto between the petitioners herein and the official respondents herein,^pending disposal of the above writ petition.

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|.A.NO:2 OF 2023

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Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances statedⁱⁿ the affidavit filed in support of the^petition, the High Court may be^pleased to DIRECT the Respondent Nos. 4 to 12 to grant PERMISSION to the Petitioners herein to proceed with the activity as^per the Agreement Agreement^(Ref. No. Contract Agreement No. TStvlDC/Tad icherla- 2 (V) I Malhar Rao^(M) / Jayashankar Bhupapapally Dist.,/Sand/Leg all2022 entered inlo on 1O.11.2022 and TSMDC/Tadicherla-1, Block-1 / tvlalhar Rao^(M) / Jayashankar Bhupapapally Dist.,/Sand/Leg all2022 entered inlo on 17.04.2022 and such other agreements entered into between the petitioners herein and the official respondents herein, pending disposal of the above writ petition.

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Counsel for the Petitioners : SRI.Y.SRINIVASA MURTHY, SENIOR COUNSEL^FOR SRI.G.SUNDARESAN

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Counsel for the Respondents : SRI.A.SANJEEV KUMAR, SPL. GP FOR ADDL ADVOCATE GENERAL

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W.P.NO: 14726OF 2023

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Between:

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The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, Telangana State^{Mineral Development} Corporation, 6-2-915, HMWSSB Premises, Rear Block, 3rd Floor, Khairatabad, Hyderabad, Telangana - 500 004.

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AND

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1 Gadeela Raghuveer Reddy, S/o. Gadeela^{Narasimha Reddy, Agedabo.ut.36} years, Occ. Business, Rl/o. H.No.3-'l'1, Kondapaka, Kondapaka, Mandal Siddipet, Telangana - 502 372.

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2 A. Karnakar Reddy, S/o. Hanumantha Reddy, MSc^{Bli SC., Aged about. 65} years, Retd, Employee, Ri/o. 3-37, Mandaka Village, Odela Mandal, Peddapally District, Telangana - 505 152.

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.....RESPONDENTS/APPLICANTS

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3 The Union of lnlia, Rep. by its Secretary, Mrnistry of^{En rir} tnnrent, Forest^and Climatc C1a rge, lndira Paryavarana Bhavan, Jot,agh Floird, \ew^{Delht -1'10} 003

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The State of^-elangana, Environment, Forest, Sct.;nc;e^{: rnrl} Ttrchnology, rep.by its S;e( retary, Secretariat, Hyderabad - 500 001.

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The Sterte t-e"el Sand Committee, Government of Te^an lerna, Block^-C, 3rd Floor, Secret; rri,rt, Khairalabad, Hyderabad, Telangana ltitte^-500 001.

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District Level Sand Committee, Jayashankar^Bhupralp3ll t [)isttict, Colleckrrate, layashankar, Telangana State^-5061 69

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The State [.e, el Environment Impact Assessment Autho't,,, lVinistry of Environmert, Forest and Climate Change, Rep. bv its M:nrbe-, Secretary,4th Floor, Aranya Btavan, Saidabad, Hyderabad, Telangan,t^.;00 004.

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The Ser:retan , lMines and Geology Department,^lvly Horte Satovar Plaza, H' No.5-922, Fla. I'Jo.203 and 2-4, 2nd Floor, Shahpur Wac i.,\darsh Nagar, Hyderabad, T -.lilngana State.

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4,4/s. RSR lrrfr r \tVorks^(lndia) Pv't. Ltd, Office at^Flzrt No.'U Beside Sankruthi School GEIVI /c,tors Road, Raghavendra Colony Konda ru-, Hyderabad, Telangana'84.

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M/s. BSCPL I tfrastructure Ltd, Rep. by its director Sri. K'ishna Murthy Saravana l.lur tar S/o. MV Krishna Murthy Aged about 5t^y:ar; R/o.^10-3-9/1 , 912, 913 Flat N o.204 OHP Trident Towers East^{Marredpa lly Hy,Jerabad} Telangana.

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11.1t4/s. Kaveri Ei rg neering Projects Pvt. Ltd, Office^ar Flat l'lo^20:1, 6-3-1089/1/1 Pavani Avenu:, Rajbhavan Road, Somajigad, Hyderabai-1i00 082.

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12.1v1/s. Sai Ram G'anites, a registered Partnership firm witlr address at H/ No.210-1000/1 , Jy rthinagar, Karlmnagar District Teianl;ana

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13.M/s. Sudhaka a lnfra Tech Pvt. Ltd, Address at Flat No.!O.l , Metro Residency, Raj Bhavan R rad, Hyderabad-SO0 082

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t,4/s. R.K. Infru cc)rp Pvt. Ltd, Address at Flat No.20l, Lun bini Enclave Opp. NIMS, Pan,ag rtta, Hyderabad-s0O 082

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'15. M/s. Suryodal a Infra Projects (l) Pvt. Ltd, Address at 7-1 -6,14, Plot No.45 1st Floor Sunder lJagar Colony, Near ESI Hospital, Hyderab^ad-50t) 038

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16.The Nat onal⁽ )reen Tribunal, South Zone, Chennar.(Res tordents 2. 4,6,7 and 16:rre no necessary parties)

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.RESPONDENTS

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Petition Unde' ,\rticle 226 oI the Constitution of lndiz t,raying that in the circumstances stat€ d in the affidavit filed therewith, the lit;h Court may^be pleased to issue a^\Vrit order or direction more particttlarly tne in the nature of mandamus declarin I lhe action of the impugned expzirte arlirterim order dated 31.05.20230 passet t,y the National Green Tribunal, Soutl-err^{Zone Chenai in} Application No.081 2C23 as illegally, arbitrary, uncorrslitutional without jurisdictions and vic lative that principles of natural justice ald^(:onfrary to the

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provisions of National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 and Consequential set aside the same.

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|.A.NO:1 OF 2023

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Petition under Section 151 CPC praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed in support of the petition, the High Court may be pleased to suspend the operation of the exparte ad interim order dated 31.05.2023 passed by the NGT, Southern Zone in O.A.No.68/2023 pending disposal of the present writ petition.

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Counsel for the Petitioner : SRI.A.SANJEEV KUMAR, SPL. GP FOR ADDL ADVOCATE GENERAL

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Counsel for the Respondent Nos.1 & 2 : SRI.M.PRATHEEK REDDY

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Counsel for the Respondent No.3 : SRI.GADI PRAVEEN KUMAR, DEPUTY SOLICITOR GENERAL OF INDIA

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Counsel for the Respondent Nos.4, 5, 6, 7 & 9 to 16 : --

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Counsel for the Respondent No.8 : G.P FOR MINES AND GEOLOGY

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The Court madb the following COMMON ORDER

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THE HON'BLE THE CHTEF JUSTICE UJJAL 3TIUY-_AN AND

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TTIE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N. TUKAR.A M JI

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WRIT PETITION Nos. 14415 and 14726 of 2023

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qOI[Mq{ ()BDER: eet Le rlon bt" ttn ( hLcf.rusnca t ilt

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I{car I Mr. Y.Srinivasa Murthr lc,z r-rred Sc nior

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Cbunsel 1r prescnLing Mr. G.Sundaresarr, leerriccl counsei frrr thc pet tioners in W.P.No. 14415 of 2O2li: vlr . A.Sanjccv liurnar. le, rrned Special Government Plr:erdcr ,;rrlrche cl lo lhc' ollicr: rf learned Additior-ral Advocatrr^(lr: rcral, for the l)ciitic,ne^{r irW.P.No. 14726of 2023; Mr. N,l.l)rztl.cc < Recldv} li.airrcd <:cr rr s<'l lr;r respotrclcnts No.1 an:l -l; tr:c1 14r. (.iadi l'ral,;ct'n I(r ,nrar, Itrarned Deputy Solicito'' (ic r Lc 'al o1' India lbr rcsponc ent N<-r.3.

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').. In bc Ltr thc i.vrit petitions challengc hets ;e.en madc to rlrc irrr-erirrr orcler dated 37.O5.2023 passt'd by rlre \ational (irecn'l'r'ri:ural, Soul.hern Zone. Cherrnai (''-r.br-rnal), ln t iligiit,rl ;\p rlic:rttic,rr No.68 of '202.3 (SZ)

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-r'

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3. Order dated 31.05.2023^{reads as under}

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I This apptication is filed sceking a dcclar-ation^of dircction to rcspondcnts in undcrtakiug^salrd mining,/extraction in the Manair^{River and} Godavari River falling in Jayashankar Bhupalpally District, Telangan:. in the^garb of^'de- siltation' and 'dredging' as illegal^and

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unsustainable.

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2 It is alleged that thc entire exercise is done without obtaining thc Environmcntal Clearance (EC) claiming to be an exempted catcgory. It is pointed out by the applicant that it rs done for commercia.l purposes b-v the 5o' respondent viz., Telangana Statc Mincral Dcvelopment Corporation. The 5th respondent had floated tenders and awarded contracts to the various contractors, a few of them arc arrayed as respondents viz., respondcnt Nos.8 to 14.

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J To be noted is that earlier also with respcct to the same Manair River in the Peddapally District, a similar activity was taken up by the sth respondent.

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4 Any exemption for desilting as contemplated in Appendix - IX of the S.O. 141 (E) dated 15.01.2016 should be for the purpose^of maintenalce, upkeep and disaster management of the dams, reservoirs, weirs, barrages,^rivers. and canals. But in this case, the^{proceeding of}

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the Distric t Colleclor dated I I O( .2(t22 l;cco,nes L l( '.rnr. , s tlr, L;l-SC (,,mnrjtt,. ,,1,o ., . rlr. alleged saltd desiltation areas lo. ul (ll .ijttrt.. ()f 42,10,69.5.50 Cu.M., of salrd/silr :rs Jrcr Rrrlc i o[ tJre Telerngzrna State Sand Mining Fir-rk:s, 2(. l5

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Irr such a vicrv of tl-re matter, we ar,.ol th j :)pirron that thc 5,1, respondent and conlracto.s undcr tlLem can contir.rue with their opr.ralior. if trcy hirve a valid Environmental Clearance it: tlLcir favour. In case, there is no lln,,,ir(,tlrner [al Clearance, thev rt'ould refrain fro;lt (_.ar-vtng ,)n Lhe mining ancl de-siltation activit. unti :lriitcr rrders ln other words, there u.,rll bt. a s tar oI )Feration for the further procetdings ,,f rhe )istrict Collcctor in proceedirrgs Nr.160/ )and I 20 t6, I dated L 1.06.2022.

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6 Vt: direct the Distnct Collector _ Jaya;h ar.rk ar lhupalpally Distnct to ensure that th: abovc

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, rcler is implemented in strict adherenc: .vhi,:h

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\ /ill otherwisc go without saying that he uill -lc 1crsonallv hr.ld rcspon sible.

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'7. I et notice bc rssued to all the resp()n,lents t rrfugh the'lribunal as r.r,ell as privarelv

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'I he, learne,l counsel Mrs. Rrrnuka Dcvi r :presenting Mrs. H. yasmeen Ali a-:ce prs notic c

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o r behalf of rospondent Nos. 2 to 5 & 7 :rnd

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iv s. Lavarya representing Mr. T. Sai Krishnan :r )c(lpl_s noticr: on behalf of responder t No f .

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g. Post the matter^{on 05 07 2023}

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It is contended^{on behalf ol the petitionersthat the} a-foresaidorderwherebythedesiltingoperationpursuantto proceedings^{dated1 l '06 '2022 has been stayedex parte is} inviolationofSectionlg(4)(0oftheNationalGreen Tribunal^{Act, 2010 (briefly' 'the Act' hereinaftcr) lt is also} pointed out^{that the impugned proceedingsinstituted by} respondents^{No.1 and 2 is beyondthe period of six months} in terms^{of Section1a(3) of the Act and thus entire} proceedings^{is without jurisdiction'}

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It is further^{pointed out that this court vide the order} dated^{O3.01'2O17 passed in W'P'No'104of 20 17 (State of} Telangana^{v. B.Harshavardhan)has held that Tribunal is} not competent^{to pass an ex parte od interimstay order'}

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karned^{Senior Counselhas also drawnthe attentlon} of the court^{to the order dated18'05 2023 passed by a} Division^{Bench of this court in W'P'No'13459of 2023} (Vice-Chaitman^{and ManagingDirector'TelanganaState}

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Mineral D :velopment Corporation v, Gadee ta Rrlghuveer Reddy) as^.vc 1l as intr:rim order dated O1.06.2.O2,3 passed in W.P.No.13(,53 ol 2023 (M/s. SN Logistics v. N.Jagarleeswara Rao) inter-^'et'ing with ad interinl sta,, gra rl ecl bv the 'l'nltunal

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7 ()n rl e other h and, Mr. M.prather,k Re rlri_v, learnerl cout-tsr:l l'r:r respondents No.1 ar.rd^,.1., who ,1re the app lican t s refore the Tribuna_l, submits that t rt: irrLpugned order cla t:<l 31.O5.2023 is only an interim order; thr: matter is frxecl o n ):;.(t7.2023; and petitioners citn ve n u.:ll ruise their grieve n,:e before the Tribunal whr:n tt c matter is hearcl ,agarir: cn O5.O7 .2023. Therefore, he sut n its that at this sturge tl e o|der of the Tribunal should not xr in -erfered u ith.

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\A'e he vr: heard learned counsel for the it,rrtjes and also pe-usec the materials on record.

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Fronr r perusal of the order dated 31.05.20:13 ,r,e find thart Tribur ral had passed the said ()rc cr ;taying

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proceedings of the District^{Collector,Jayashankar} Bhupalpally, dated^{11.06.2022 without putting the affected} parties to notice, which^{appears to be in contraventiono[} the provisions of^{Section 19(4)(i) of the Act'}

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This position^{has been clarifiedin the decision of this} court in B.Harshavardhan^(supra).

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1 1. If that be the^{position,we need not enter into other} aspects of the matter.^{However, as pointedout by learned} counsel for respondents^{No. 1 and 2, since O'A'No 68 of} 2023 (SZl would^{be heardon O5'O7.2023, it would be just} arrd proper if the^{ex partestay order is set aside and the} matter is remanded^{back to the Tribunallorfresh} consideration in accordance^{with law'}

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Consequently, we^{set aside theorder dated} 31.05.2023 leaving^{the parties to maketheir respective} submissions before^{the Tribunalon O5.O7.2023 or on such} other date when O.A.No.68^{of 2023 (SZ) is taken up for} hearing by the^Tribunal.

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RotI t[-re u'rit pctitions are accordingly z.iltu'r;d

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l\1 sr:llaneous applications pending, if a r-y, shall

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l;t:rrrrl r:los :c[. I Iou cve r, thcre sha]l be no orclt.r- as to costs

STY-G.SIREESHA

ASS S'TANT REGISTRAR

//TRUE COPY//

S,ECTION OFFICER

The Se()ret,rry LJnion of lndia, t\4inistry of Environnrent, F orest and Climate Change ln(Jiri r F)aryavaran Bhavan, Jog Bagh Road, Ne^rr )elhi 1 10 003

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The Special C rir>f Secretary, Environment, Forest, Science anJ Technology, Secretariat Br,^rldings, Saifabad, State of Telangana at Ht'dr:ratrad.

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The lt4ernber [,e:retary IVinistry of Environment, State Lt verl Errvironmental lmpact Ass,:sr ment Authorrty, Forbst and Climate Change 4th Floor, Aranya Bhavan, Saifa rad Hyderabad, Telangana.

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The Vict-'Chai^'rran and Managing Director, Telangana Sta.e lrlineral Development )c rporation Limited, lV/S 6-2-915, HMWSS B Pre,mises, Rear Block, 3rd Flo,^rr, Khairathabad, Hyderabad, 500004.

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The Mernberr 5 er;retary. Telangana State Pollution Contr,rl loard, Paryavarana I havan, A-3, lndustrial Estate, Sanath Nag rr, HyCerabad500018

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The Director, l)epartment of Mines and Geology, My Horre Sa^-over Plaza, Flat No. 201] a rd 2O4,2nd Floor, House No. 5-922, Shap:nruadi, Adarshnagerr, le.cretariat Road, Hyderabad-500063.

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