Date | March 17, 2016: A two judge bench of the High Court at Hyderabad comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao directed the Andhra Pradesh government to file an undertaking of the Director of Mines and Geology, stating that no illegal mining was being carried out and they would not allow any illegal mining to be carried out.

It further directed the government to constitute a high-power committee to ensure that the illegal mining and transportation cases can be taken up by such a committee. The bench was dealing with a petition filed by K Guruvachary of Guntur District. The petitioner sought declaration of the inaction of the government in not taking appropriate action to stop illegal mining /quarrying and illegal transportation in the lands as illegal.

He requested the court to direct the government to immediately stop the supply of blasting material and arrest the persons responsible for illegal quarrying and illegal transportation of white limestone in the said areas by taking appropriate action and also recover the loss incurred to the government by way of evasion of Royalty Cess and the loss incurred for Patta land holders of the Revenue lands due to the excavation of white lime stone material by the culprits. The bench adjourned the matter by two weeks.

(Source: http://www.thehansindia.com/)