Telangana High Court
Putta Mukesh vs The State Of Telanpna on 29 April, 2026
Author: B. Vijaysen Reddy
Bench: B. Vijaysen Reddy
HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA
AT HYDERABAD
THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE B. VIJAYSEN REDDY
WRIT PETITON No.14035 OF 2026
DATE: 29-04-2026
Between:
Mr. Putta Mukesh
... Petitioner
AND
The State of Telangana
Rep. By its Principal Secretary,
Mines and Geology Department,
Secretariat, Hyderabad, and others.
... Respondents
ORDER :(ORAL) Heard Mr. Mirza Azmath Ali Baig, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. K. Shantan Rao, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Mines and Geology, appearing for respondent No.1, and Mr. P. Sri Harsha Reddy, learned standing counsel for Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), appearing for respondent Nos.3 and 4.
2
2. Petitioner claims to be resident of Erukulagudem Village, Manthani Mandal, Peddapalli District. It is stated that for the past six (6) months approximately about forty (40) lakhs cubic meters of overburden soil of worth twenty two (22) crores has been transported from Ramagundam RG-III open cast mines situated at Adyala and Nagaram Villages, Manthani Mandal, Peddapalli District, without any valid documents and requisite statutory permissions, in violation of the provisions of the Mines Act 1952. It is stated that respondent No.3 is a public sector undertaking operating Coal Mines in the State of Telangana including Ramagundam RG-III open cast mine. Respondent No.7 is diverting overburden soil from the open cast mine and utilising it for the purpose of construction of Green Field Highway from Mancherial to Warangal.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that overburden soil must be mandatorily utilized for back filling the mine itself. But the same is diverted by respondent No.7 for construction of highways in gross violation of the provisions of the Mines Act 3 1952, the Mineral Concession Rules 1960 and the Environmental Protection Act 1986. Respondent authorities who are aware of such illegal diversion have colluded with respondent No.7 and not taking any action. Petitioner submitted several representations dated 26.11.2025, 20.12.2025, 19.02.2026 and 04.03.2026 to respondent authorities for stopping illegal transportation of overburden soil from Ramgundam open cast mine RG-III by respondent No.7, but the same are not acted upon, as such, the petitioner is constrained to approach this Court.
4. Learned standing counsel for respondent Nos.3 and 4 submitted that direction may be issued to respondent No.2 to act upon the representation dated 19.02.2026 of the petitioner.
5. As innocuous relief is sought by the petitioner, without entering into the merits of the case, the writ petition is disposed of at the stage of admission, directing respondent No.2 to consider the representation dated 19.02.2026 of the petitioner regarding illegal diversion of overburden soil from Ramagundam open cast mine situated at Manthani Mandal, Peddapalli District, to the site of 4 respondent No.7 for construction of Green Field Highway from Mancherial to Warangal, and pass orders, in accordance with law, by issuing notice to the petitioner and respondent No.7 and all other concerned/interested persons, by affording opportunity of hearing to them, within a period of four (4) weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
6. As this order is passed without entering into the merits, notice to respondent No.7 is dispensed with. No order as to costs.
As a sequel thereto, miscellaneous applications, if any, pending in the writ petition stand closed.
______________________ B. VIJAYSEN REDDY, J April 29, 2026 MS