Lalit Mohan Patshali vs State of Uttarakhand & others

Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record.

According to learned counsel for the petitioner, petitioner was granted a mining lease for soapstone in Village Raigarh Syari, Tehsil Didihat,

District Pithoragarh. The said mining lease was granted on 15.07.2004 for a period of 20 years. According to him, the old stock of 288.31 tons of

soapstone, mined by the petitioner, is lying on the mining plot allotted to the petitioner, for which he needs permission from the Competent

Authority to remove the minerals. In this regard, petitioner has made a representation to the District Magistrate, Pithoragarh (which is annexure 2

to the writ petition) and it appears that on the direction of the District Magistrate, the Officers of Mining Department have submitted a report, to

him (District Magistrate) on 07.11.2017.

Learned counsel for the petitioner confines his prayer and submits that the District Magistrate, Pithoragarh be directed to take a decision in the

matter within a specified time frame.

Accordingly, the writ petition is disposed of with liberty to petitioner to make a fresh representation before respondent No. 2 District

Magistrate, Pithoragarh within ten days from today. If such a representation is made, District Magistrate shall decide the same by passing a

reasoned and speaking order, in accordance with law, within eight weeks thereafter.