WP/15548/2026 of N.GOMATHI Vs THE CHAIRPERSON

WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page1 of 6 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 24-04-2026 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M.DHANDAPANI WP No. 15548 of 2026 N.Gomathi No.108 South Street Morattupalayam Uthukuli, Thiruppur 638752. ..Petitioner(s) Vs 1. The Chairperson Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board 76 Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai 600032. 2. The Member Secretary Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board 76 Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai 600032. 3. The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Thiruppur North, II ndfloor, Kumaran Complex, Kumaran Road, Thiruppur 641601. ..Respondent(s) Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying for issuance of a Writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents 1 and 2 to consi der and pass orders on the representation submitted by the petitioner date d 02/09/2025 to furnish the copy of files pertaining to the minutes of publi c hearing conducted on 06/07/2022 and received by the respondents on 11/08/2022 and to pass appropriate orders as this Honourable Court deem fit and proper and render justice. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page2 of 6 For Petitioner(s): Mr.B.Sasidaran ORDER This Writ Petition has been filed seeking a direction to the r espondents 1 and 2 to consider and pass orders on the representation submitted by t he petitioner dated 02.09.2025 to furnish the copy of files pertaining to the minutes of public hearing conducted on 06.07.2022 which was received by the respondents on 11.08.2022. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner. Since no adverse order is to be passed against the respondents in the present Writ Petition, notice to them is dispensed with and the matter is taken up for hearing at t he admission stage itself. 3. The learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner is the absolute owner of the patta land in Survey No.96/1A measuring to an extent of 0.66.5 hectares situated as Morattupalayam Village, Uthukuli Taluk, Tiruppur District and she applied for grant of quarry lease for quarrying rough stone in her patta land following the procedures contemplated under Tamil Nadu Minor Mineral Concession Rules enclosing all necessary documents and prescribed fees a nd also applied for Environmental Clearance (EC) before the SEIAA a s per the https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page3 of 6 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 for which Terms of Reference was issued by SEIAA, directing to conduct public hearing through the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, pursuant to which, the same was conducted and minutes were recorded, which were mandated for processing the EC application. He contended that despite completion of the same, no communication to the petitioner for more than two years and hence, the petitioner submitted applications under Right to Information Act, for which the third respondent sent a reply stating that the entire files of the subject issue were forwarded to the first respondent on 11.08.2022 and thereafter, there was no progress and EC proposal was pending due to non submission of the public hearing minutes. He added that the petitioner submitted written representations followed by repeated reminders from 2023 to 2025 and since no progress, she submitted a consolidated representation dated 02.09.2025 which was recei ved by the second respondent on 04.09.2025, which also evoked no response and hence, the present Writ Petition. 4. Furthermore, the learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that it would be suffice to issue a direction to the second respondent to consider the petitioner’s representation dated 02.09.2025 and to pass appropriate orders in the subject issue, within a reasonable time. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page4 of 6 5. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and also taki ng note of the submissions of the learned counsel for the petitioner, the second respondent is directed to consider the petitioner’s representation dat ed 02.09.2025 and to pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. 6. With the above direction, the Writ Petition is disposed of. The re shall be no order as to costs. 24-04-2026 Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No DP https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page5 of 6 To 1. The Chairperson Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board 76 Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai 600032. 2. The Member Secretary Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board 76 Mount Salai, Guindy, Chennai 600032. 3. The District Environmental Engineer Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Thiruppur North, II Floor, Kumaran Complex, Kumaran Road, Thiruppur 641601. https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis WP No. 15548 of 2026 __________ Page6 of 6 M.DHANDAPANI, J. DP WP No. 15548 of 2026 24-04-2026 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis