- 1 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40258-DB WP No. 30388 of 2025 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 13TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2025 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA WRIT PETITION NO. 30388 OF 2025 (GM-MM-S) BETWEEN: 1. SRI. M. RAMAKRISHNA SON OF LATE MUDHAYA AGED ABOUT 78 YEARS NO.S 800, BEHIND KALAMMA TEMPLE TALUK, SRIRANGAPATNA TALUK MANDYA DISTRICT - 571 607 …PETITIONER (BY SRI. MAHENDRA S.S., ADVOCATE) AND: 1. STATE OF KARNATAKA REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPAL SECRETARY [MINES] DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES REPRESENTED BY ITS PRINCIPLE SECRETARY VIKAS SOUDHA, 1ST FLOOR BENGALURU - 560 001 2. THE STATE LEVEL DAM SAFTEY COMMITTEE, KRISHNARAJA SAGARA DAM, REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN MANDYA - 571 607. Digitally signed by PRABHAKAR SWETHA KRISHNAN Location: High Court of Karnataka - 2 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40258-DB WP No. 30388 of 2025 3. THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, No.49, KHANIJA BHAVAN RACE COURSE ROAD, BANGALORE - 560 001 4. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, OFFICE OF DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, D C OFFICE COMPLEX, MANDYA - 571 401. 5. THE SENIOR GEOLOGIST, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, KHANIJA BHAVANA, NO.CA4/C, VIVEKANANDA BADAVANE, MANDYA - 571 402. 6. THE CHIEF ENGINEER, DAM SAFETY ORGANISATION AND MEMBER SECRETARY, STATE COMMITTEE ON DAM SAFETY (SCDS), ANANDA RAO CIRCLE, BENGALURU - 560 009. …RESPONDENTS (BY SRI. K.S. HARISH, GOVERNMENT ADVOCATE) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLE 226 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA PRAYING TO a) ISSUE A WRIT IN THE NATURE OF MANDAMUS COMMANDING DIRECTING RESPONDENT No. 2 - THE STATE LEVEL DAM SAFETY COMMITTEE, KRISHNARAJA SAGARA DAM, REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN, RESPONDENT No. 3 - THE DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, RESPONDENT No. 4 - THE DEPUTY CMMISSIONER, OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, MANDYA, RESPONDENT No. 5 - THE SENIOR GEOLOGIST, DEPARTMENT OF MINES AND GEOLOGY, MANDYA, AND RESPONDENT No. 6 - THE CHIEF ENGINEER, DAM SAFETY - 3 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40258-DB WP No. 30388 of 2025 ORGANISATION AND MEMBER SECRETARY, STATE COMMITTEE ON DAM SAFETY (SCDS), ANANDA RAO CIRCLE, BENGALURU, TO FORTHWITH CONSIDER THE PETITIONERS REPRESENTATIONS DATED 09.09.2025 (ANNEXURE-A, A1, A2, A3 AND A4) SEEKING REVOCATION OF THE BAN IMPOSED ON QUARRY LEASE NOS. 438 SITUATED AT NEELANAKOPPALU VILLAGE, SRIRANGAPATNA TALUK, MANDYA DISTRICT AND PERMIT RESUMPTION OF QUARRYING ACTIVITIES IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE CONDITIONS AND GUIDELINES, BY PASSING REASONED ORDER WITHIN A TIME FRAME AS THIS HONBLE COURT MAY DEEM FIT AND PROPER AND ETC. THIS PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA ORAL ORDER (PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE) 1. Issue notice. 2. Learned Government Advocate accepts notice for respondents. 3. The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia praying as under: "a) Issue a Writ in the nature of Mandamus commanding directing Respondent No. 2 the State Level Dam Safety Committee, Krishnaraja Sagara Dam, represented by its Chairman Respondent No. 3 the - 4 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40258-DB WP No. 30388 of 2025 Director, Department of Mines & Geology; Respondent No. 4 the Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Mandya; Respondent No. 5 the Senior Geologist, Department of Mines & Geology, Mandya; and Respondent No. 6 the Chief Engineer, Dam Safety Organisation & Member Secretary, State Committee on Dam Safety (SCDS), Ananda Rao Circle, Bengaluru, to forthwith consider the Petitioner's Representations dated 09.09.2025 (ANNEXURES-A, A1, A2, A3 & A4) seeking revocation of the ban imposed on Quarry Lease Nos. 438 situated at Neelanakoppalu Village, Srirangapatna Taluk, Mandya District, and permit resumption of quarrying activities in compliance with applicable conditions and guidelines, by passing reasoned order within a time frame as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper; b) Grant such other or further reliefs as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit in the interest of justice and equity." 4. Learned counsel appearing for the respondents submits that the Dam Safety Committee shall consider the petitioner's representation and take a decision, if not already taken. 5. In view of the aforesaid submission, no further orders are required to be passed in the petition except to request the Dam Safety Committee to consider the representation as expeditiously as possible and to dispose of the same, preferably within a period of eight weeks from date. - 5 - HC-KAR NC: 2025:KHC:40258-DB WP No. 30388 of 2025 6. The petition is accordingly disposed of, in the aforesaid terms. 7. Pending applications, if any, are also disposed of. Sd/- (VIBHU BAKHRU) CHIEF JUSTICE Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE YKL CT-SG List No.: 1 Sl No.: 19