High Court Kerala High Court

Pepsico India Holdings Pvt. Ltd vs State Of Kerala on 10 April, 2007

Kerala High Court
Pepsico India Holdings Pvt. Ltd vs State Of Kerala on 10 April, 2007
       

  

  

 
 
  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM

WP(C) No. 27334 of 2003(D)


1. PEPSICO INDIA HOLDINGS PVT. LTD.,
                      ...  Petitioner

                        Vs



1. STATE OF KERALA,
                       ...       Respondent

2. PUDUSSERY GRAMA PANCHAYAT(SPECIAL GRADE)

3. THE KERALA INDUSTRIAL SINGLE WINDOW

                For Petitioner  :SRI.ANTONY DOMINIC

                For Respondent  :GOVERNMENT PLEADER

The Hon'ble the Acting Chief Justice MR.K.S.RADHAKRISHNAN
The Hon'ble MR. Justice M.N.KRISHNAN

 Dated :10/04/2007

 O R D E R
WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04                      1




               K.S. RADHAKRISHNAN, Ag. C.J. & M.N. KRISHNAN, J.

           ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       W.P.C. Nos.  27334  of 2003 and 27736 of 2004

               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                               Dated:       10th  April 2007


                                       JUDGMENT

Radhakrishnan, Ag. C. J.

The cardinal question to be considered in these cases is whether the

second respondent Panchayat has got jurisdiction either to issue or cancel

the licence granted to the petitioner for setting up the factory at Kanjikode

situated in an industrial area notified as Integrated Industrial Township,

Palghat by the Government of Kerala vide SRO No 730/01 issued by

notification G.O. 672/2001/AD dated 24.7.2001 in exercise of the powers

conferred by clause (f) of Sections 2 and 5 of the Kerala Industrial Single

Window Clearance Boards and Industrial Township Area Development Act,

1999 (Act 5 of 2000), in short Development Act.

2. Petitioner is a private limited Company registered under the

Companies Act engaged in the manufacture, bottling and sale of soft

drinks like Pepsi, Mirinda, Seven Up etc., the factory of which is set up in

the industrial area, Kanjikode. The petitioner company had made an

application for the issue of licence for setting up of a factory in an industrial

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 2

area through the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation Limited

(K.S.I.D.C) to the Single Window Clearance State Board constituted under

the Kerala Industrial Single Window Clearance Boards and Industrial

Township Area Development Act, 1999 (in short “the Development Act”).

The State Board after considering the application preferred by the petitioner

directed the second respondent to grant necessary permission / industrial

license to the petitioner for putting up the factory in the industrial area.

The second respondent on receiving the recommendation from the State

Board issued a license in favour of M/s ABMC for a period of five years

from 2000-2001 to 2004-2005 evidenced by Ext. P4.

3. Petitioner has been carrying on the manufacturing process

complying with all the statutory requirements and at no point of time they

have violated any of the conditions in Ext P4. Due to some public agitation

against the functioning of the factory the petitioner had to move this court

for police protection and protection was granted by this court as per order

dated 20.01.2003. The second respondent later issued a notice No A4

262/2000 to show cause why the licence should not be cancelled due to the

allegation of over exploitation of ground water by the petitioners and the

consequent shortage of drinking water. Ext. P5 is the notice dated

20.05.2003 served on the petitioners. Petitioner submitted a reply denying

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 3

the allegation and also submitted that the Panchayat has no jurisdiction

either to issue or cancel licence issued to the petitioner since the power to

grant licence or to cancel the licence vests with the Board constituted under

the Development Act, 1999. Petitioner also referred to the notification,

G.O. No 672/2001/AD dated 24.7.2001 notifying the area as an Integrated

Industrial Township, Palghat and the petitioner’s factory is situated in that

area. Further it was also stated that the Government have constituted a

Single Window Clearance Board for the said area known as “the Integrated

Industrial Township Single Window Clearance Board”, Palghat and powers

are vested in that Board under the provisions of the Development Act.

4. Petitioner was however served with Order No A4-353/2003 dated

22.08.2003 by the Panchayat cancelling the license. Aggrieved by the same

petitioner has approached this court by filing W.P.C. No 27334 of 2003

seeking a writ of certiorari to quash Ext.P10 order passed by the second

respondent Panchayat and also for a direction to the second respondent to

refrain from imposing any condition/restriction to the license issued to the

petitioner without the directions from the Single Window Clearance State

Board constituted under the Development Act, 1999. Petitioner has also

filed I.A. No 3089 of 2007 seeking a declaration that the provisions of the

Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 are not applicable to the Kanjikode unit of

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 4

the petitioner and that the second respondent Panchayat does not have any

administrative jurisdiction over the affairs of the Kanjikode unit of the

petitioner.

5. Panchayat had accorded sanction to the petitioner company, vide

order No 242/2000 dated 5.5.2000 for the construction of building and

installation of 2000 HP electric motor on the basis of application submitted

by the company on 12.03.2000. The Company accordingly constructed the

building for its factory and installed 2000 HP electric motor at the site.

While so, the petitioner unit situated at Kanjikode was notified as an

industrial area under the Integrated Industrial Township, Palghat with

effect from 24.07.2001 by notification dated 24.07.2001. Since the area was

declared as an industrial area, the provisions of the Kerala Panchayat Raj

Act cease to have application to the industrial area in question by virtue of

sub-section (2) of Section 1 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act 1994 though at

the time when the factory was set up the area was not declared as an

industrial area. Petitioner submits that with effect from 24.07.2001 the

second respondent Panchayat ceased to have any jurisdiction over the

Kanjikode unit of the petitioner company by virtue of the express

provisions of Section 1 (2) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.

Petitioner was however served with Ext. P4 notice dated 20.04.2004 to

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 5

show cause why steps shall not be taken to cancel Ext. P1 order granting

permission to the petitioner to install 2000 HP electric motor on the ground

that the petitioner has been indiscriminately extracting huge quantity of

ground water thereby drying up a number of wells in and near the locality

causing scarcity of drinking water in the Panchayat area. Petitioner replied

to the said notice pointing out that the question as to whether Panchayat has

got jurisdiction to proceed against the petitioner is already pending

consideration before this court in W.P.C. No 27334 of 2003. Objection

raised by the petitioner was however repelled and the Panchayat passed

Ext. P6 order dated 15.09.2004 in exercise of the powers conferred under

Section 182 (iii) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 cancelling the order

according sanction for the installation of 2000 HP electric motor and

direction was given to the Plant Engineer to dismantle the same. Aggrieved

by the said order petitioner has filed W.P.C. No 27736 of 2004 seeking a

writ of certiorari to quash Ext. P6 and also for other consequential reliefs.

6. Panchayat has filed a detailed counter affidavit in both the cases

maintaining the stand that it has got jurisdiction to to cancel the license

already granted and to revoke the sanction to install 2000 HP electric motor.

Panchayat has maintained the stand that the Development Act, 1999 would

not take away the rights of the Panchayat under the Kerala Panchayat Raj

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 6

Act in the matter of issuance or cancellation of license. Further it was

pointed out that Section 166 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act provides

authority for the Panchayat for maintenance of traditional drinking water

sources in the Panchayat as one of its mandatory duties to safeguard public

interest. It is stated that the Panchayat Raj Act was enacted by the State

Legislature consequent on the Constitution (Seventy third Amendment)

Act,1992 for securing a greater measure of participation of the people in

planned development and under Article 243-G the Legislature of a State

may, by law, endow the Panchayats with such powers and authority as may

be necessary to enable them to function as institutions of self-government.

Further it is also stated that under Section 243C of the Kerala Panchayat

Raj Act, the Panchayat is vested with the powers to implement and

maintain water supply and sewage schemes within the Panchayat area.

Panchayat pointed out that one of the important functions required to be

discharged by the Grama Panchayats under the provisions of the

Constitution of India read along with the Panchayat Raj Act is to ensure and

maintain supply of pure drinking water to the people in the Panchayat area.

7. The third respondent, the Kerala State Single Window Clearance

Board, has filed a detailed counter affidavit. It is stated therein that the

petitioner’s factory is established within the industrial area of the

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 7

Integrated Industrial Township, Palakkad in exercise of the powers

conferred by clause (f) of Section 2 and of Section 5 of the Single Window

Clearance Act. Consequently provisions of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act

are not applicable to the industrial area in question since it falls outside the

purview of Section 1(2) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act. The power to

grant license is exclusively conferred on the State Board by virtue of the

Development Act, 1999 and the authorities are bound to act according to

the Board’s function under the Development Act, 1999.

8. We heard Senior Counsel Sri A.L.Somayaji for the petitioners, Sri

Kallada Sukumaran for the Panchayat, Senior Government Pleader Sri T.B.

Hood for the State and Senior Counsel Sri M. Pathros Matthai for the third

respondent.

9. Senior Counsel appearing for the petitioners has raised various

contentions regarding the matters raised in the writ petitions and

highlighted the various functions of the authority functioning under the

Development Act. Counsel also referred to the decision of the apex court in

Solapur MIDC Industries Association v. State of Maharashtra and others

(1996) 9 SCC 621). Counsel appearing for the Panchayat reminded us of

the duties and responsibilities of the Panchayat under the Panchayat Raj Act

and stated that the reasons stated for cancellation of license do not justify

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 8

the fact that there has been over exploitation of ground water by the

petitioner company. In support of this contention counsel also made

reference to the decision of this court in Manjapra Grama Panchayat v.

State of Kerala (1996 (2) KLT 719) and Action Council v. Benny Abraham

(2001 (2) KLT 690).

10. Article 243-G states that subject to the provisions of the

Constitution, the Legislature of a State may, by law, endow the Panchayats

with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to

function as institutions of self-government and such law may contain

provisions for the devolution of powers and responsibilities upon

Panchayats at the appropriate level, subject to such conditions as may be

specified therein with respect to the preparation of plans for economic

development and social justice, the implementation of schemes for

economic development and social justice as may be entrusted to them

including those in relation to the matters listed in the Eleventh Schedule.

Eleventh Schedule contains 29 entries. Entry 3 relates to minor

irrigation,water management and watershed development, drinking water

and so on. By virtue of Article 243G the State enacted the Kerala

Panchayat Raj Act, 1994. The Legislature in its wisdom excluded the areas

which are within the limits of the Cantonments, Nagar Panchayats,

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 9

Municipal Councils, Municipal Corporation and the Industrial areas of the

State. We may extract the exclusion provision for easy reference.

(1) This Act may be called the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Kerala except the

areas which are within the limits of the Cantonments, Nagar Panchayats,

Municipal Councils, Municipal Corporations and the Industrial areas of the

State. Section 4 of the Act states that the Government shall, by

notification in the gazette, constitute with effect from such date as specified

in the notification, a “municipal council” for a smaller urban area and a

Municipal Corporation for a larger urban area. Proviso to Section 1 of the

Kerala Panchayat Raj Act states that it extends to the whole of the State of

Kerala except the areas which are within the limits of the Cantonments,

Nagar Panchayats, Municipal Councils, Municipal Corporations and the

industrial areas of the State. The term “industrial area” has not been

defined in the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act and has been excluded from the

purview of the Panchayat Raj Act. “Industrial area” has been defined in the

Development Act (Act 5 of 2000). The Development Act was enacted to

provide special provision for speedy issue of various licence clearances and

certificates required for setting up of industrial undertakings in the State of

Kerala and for the Constitution of Industrial Township Area Development

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 10

Authorities and for matter connected therewith. Preamble of the Act says

that it is necessary to make special provision to promote and assist the

orderly establishment and rapid growth and development of industries in the

State. For that purpose it is necessary to establish Single Window

Clearance Boards at the State District and Industrial area level. Preamble

of the Act also refers to clause (1) of Article 243 Q of the Constitution.

Statement of objects and reasons states that the Government have given

emphasis to a cluster based approach for the industrial growth of the State

and have been taking a series of steps for establishing both general and

sector specific Parks in the State with all necessary infrastructure. It is

stated that it is hence vital that empowered Single Window Clearance

Boards be set up in all such industrial areas so that the entrepreneurs can get

a comprehensive package of assistance to set up units in the identified

industrial areas. “Industrial area” has been defined in Section 2 (f) of the

Development Act, which reads as follows:

“Industrial Area means any area in the State declared to be an

industrial area by the Government by notification in the Gazette

from time to time and includes industrial estates, development

areas, development plots, mini industrial estates, industrial

parks and growth centres.”

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (f) of sub-section (2) of

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 11

Section 5 of the Development Act, the Government declared the Integrated

Industrial Township, Palakkad to be an industrial area of the State and

constituted a Single Window Clearance Board for the said area to be known

as “Integrated Industrial Township Single Window Clearance Board.” In

the counter affidavit filed by the Executive Officer of the Kerala State

Single Window Clearance Board constituted under the Development Act,

1999 it has been specifically stated that the petitioner’s factory is

established within the industrial area of the Integrated Industrial Township,

Palakkad to be an industrial area of the State and has also constituted a

Single Window Clearance Board for the said area to be known as the

Integrated Industrial Township Single Clearance Board, Palakkad in view

of the Government notification dated 24.07.2001. We may in this

connection refer to Section 3 of the Act, which is extracted below for easy

reference.

“3. State Board – (1) For the purpose of speedy issue of various

licences, clearances, certificates required under various State

enactments for setting up of industrial undertakings in the State, the

Government may, by notification,constitute Single Window

Clearance Board for the State to be called the Kerala State Single

Window Clearance Board.”

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 12

Government therefore by notification dated 24.07.2001 constituted

integrated industrial township. It is that authority which has to deal with

the various licence clearances or certificates required under the several

State enactments for setting up small scale or large scale industrial

undertakings or industrial undertakings within the Integrated Industrial

Township, Palakkad. Integrated Industrial Township Single Window

Clearance Board is a body corporate by name of the Industrial Area for

which it is constituted having perpetual succession and a common seal.

Every Industrial Area Single Window Clearance Board shall consist of

Principal Secretary to Government, Industries Department or his nominee,

Collector of the district, Chief Executive of the Agency owning or

managing the industrial area, District Officer of the State Pollution Control

Board, District Officer of the Town Planning Department, District Medical

Officer, District Officer, Factories and Boilers Inspectorate, Divisional Fire

Force Officer, Divisional Forest Officer and so on. Representatives of the

local Panchayat are absent in the composition evidently because industrial

area has been taken out of the purview of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act,

1994. We may also refer to Section 6 of the Development Act which states

that notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in

force all industrial undertakings being established or proposed to be

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 13

established in industrial area shall be exempted from obtaining permits

from Municipalities or Grama Panchayats Town Planning Department or

Development Authorities for construction of buildings for starting an

industrial undertaking. Section 7 dealing with the powers and functions of

Industrial Area Boards states as follows:

Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time

being in force, every person intending to establish an industrial

undertaking or a small scale industrial undertaking in any of the

notified industrial areas shall submit the application in the prescribed

form to the designated authority of that industrial area for clearances

or licenses or certificates required under various State enactments

together with the fee if any to be paid, under the respective enactment.

(2) The Industrial Area Board shall after complying the

procedure prescribed in this behalf and within thirty days from the

date of receipt of the application take a decision as –

(a) to recommend to the authority concerned, the issue of

the licence or permission applied for without any modifications or

with such modifications as it thinks to fit to make; or

(b) to refuse clearance if it is of the opinion that the

proposed construction, establishment or installation is objectionable.

(3) The decision taken by the Industrial Areas Board shall be

communicated to the applicant and the authority concerned by the

designated authority of the Industrial Area Board.

We may in this connection refer to the definition of “District Board”

contained in Section 2 (c) of the Development Act. “District Board” means

the District Single Window Clearance Board constituted under sub-section

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 14

(1) of Section 4 of the Act. District Boards have been constituted under

various other State enactments. Every District Board shall consist of

Collector of the District, General Manager, District Industries Centre of the

District concerned, President of the Grama Panchayat concerned or

Chairperson of the Municipality concerned in cases where license is

required from the local bodies, District Officer of the State Pollution

Control Board and so on. The Integrated Industrial Township, Palakkad

has been declared as an industrial area in exercise of the powers conferred

by Section 5, which falls outside the purview of the Kerala Panchayat Raj

Act, 1994. Consequently Panchayat cannot exercise any power to cancel the

licence issued to the petitioner’s factory, a power which is exclusively

vested on the Board functioning under the Development Act.

11. Section 10 of the Development Act authorises the State Board,

District Board or the Industrial Area Board to issue the clearances, licenses

or certificates applied for in accordance with the recommendations of the

State Board, District Board or Industrial Area Board. Panchayat has no say

in the matter of issuing licence. Panchayat has passed a resolution on

15.5.2003 to cancel the licence to the petitioner company but it may be

noted that the industrial establishments put up in the new industrial area

are governed by the Development Act. Shortage in the availability of

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 15

drinking water is a perennial problem, says the Panchayat. Panchayat can

always bring this to the notice of the authorities constituted under the

Development Act and that authority can also examine whether the

industrial units are consuming excess water depleting water sources

affecting the people.

12. Panchayat it may be noted has approached this court by filing

W.P.C. No 8897 of 2004 challenging the constitutional validity of Section 1

(2) of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 to the extent it excluded Nagar

Panchayats, Municipal Counsel etc. and the petitioner company got

impleaded as additional seventh respondent in the writ petition which was

subsequently dismissed as withdrawn. Reference in this connection may

be made to the decision of the apex court in Sali Gram Panchayat’s case

supra. That was a case where Grama Panchayat impugned the notifications

as well as the resolutions issued by the State Government under Section 2

(g) of the Gujarat Industrial Development Act,1962 declaring certain lands

of Village Saij as Kalol Industrial Area. Section 16 gives power to the

Government to issue notification by which it can declare that an industrial

area as defined in the Gujarat Industrial Development Act, 1962 would also

be a deemed notified area under the Gujarat Municipalities Act, 1963.

With effect from 1.6.1993, the Constitution 73rd and 74th Amendments

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 16

came into effect as a result of which Parts IX and IX-A were introduced in

the Constitution. Gujarat Municipalities Act was amended on 20.8.1993 in

view of the insertion of Parts IX and IX-A in the Constitution, as a result of

which an industrial area under the Gujarat Industrial Development Act,

which is notified under Section 16 of the Gujarat Industrial Development

Act would become a notified area under the new Section 264-A of the

Gujarat Municipalities Act and would mean an industrial township area

under the proviso to clause (1) of Article 243-Q of the Constitution of

India. Grama Panchayat contended that the notification issued under

Section 16 of the Act is contrary to Parts IX and IX-A of the Constitution

brought into force by the 73rd and 74th Amendments. The apex court held

that once the area is deemed notified area under the Gujarat Municipalities

Act,1964 it is equated with an industrial township under Part IX-A of the

Constitution where municipal services may be provided by industries.

Hence the court took the view that there is no violation of any constitutional

provisions of the Scheme . Facts of the above mentioned case may not

directly apply to the instant case but the principle laid down by the apex

court would support the plea of such exclusion as has been done in sub-

section (2) of Section 1 of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act.

13. Panchayat in this case has raised a contention that excessive use

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 17

of groundwater by the petitioner is creating acute water shortage in the area

and under such circumstances the Panchayat has taken steps to cancel the

licence. Panchayat, in our view, has no jurisdiction in the matter of issue

or renewal of licence to the petitioner’s factory since the legislature in its

wisdom has excluded the area in question from the purview of the

Panchayat Raj Act in view of sub-section (2) of Section 1 of the Kerala

Panchayat Raj Act. Courts cannot be blamed for this predicament, the

legislature and the executive in their wisdom excluded the industrial area

from the purview of the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act, with the result that the

Panchayat cannot take steps under the Panchayat Raj Act.

14. We may however point out that the apprehension voiced by the

Panchayat cannot be lost sight of and calls for the attention of the

authorities functioning under the Kerala Ground Water (Control and

Regulation) Act, 2000 as well as the Board constituted under the

Development Act. Ground Water (Control and Regulation) Act has been

enacted to provide for the conservation of ground water and for the

regulation and control of its extraction and use in the State of Kerala. Right

to live enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution implies right to food,

water etc. Providing drinking water is the concern of the Panchayat as well

as the State. Since they have expressed their concern of depletion of

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 18

groundwater the authorities functioning under the Ground Water Act have a

duty to examine whether petitioner is using excessive groundwater so as to

deplete the water source affecting the people who are living in the

Panchayat area. Panchayat as well as the authorities functioning under the

Groundwater Act are equally concerned with the welfare of the people who

are residing in the Panchayat area, a matter which can always be taken up by

the Panchayat before the authorities functioning under the Ground Water

Act.

14. We have already found that the second respondent Panchayat has

no jurisdiction under the Kerala Panchayat Raj Act in the matter of issue or

cancellation of licence. Petitioner’s industry is situated in an industrial area

as notified by the Government in the notification dated 24.07.2001. In such

circumstances, we are inclined to allow both the writ petitions declaring

Ext. P10 in W.P.C. No 27334 of 2003 and Ext. P6 in W.P.C. No 27736 of

2004 are issued without jurisdiction and they are accordingly quashed.

Sd/-

K.S. RADHAKRISHNAN

Ag. Chief Justice

Sd/-


                                                     M.N. KRISHNAN

10/04/2007                                           Judge

en/


WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04                      19




W.P.C. No 27334 of 2003


APPENDIX


Petitioner's exhibits;:


Ext.P1 – True copy of the application filed by the petitioner to the Single

Window Clearance Board dated Nil.

Ext.P2 – True copy of the letter dated 30.10.2000 issued by the fourth

respondent.

Ext.P3 – True copy of the letter dated 2.11.2000 No 48498/M2/2000/LSGD

by the first respondent.

Ext.P4 – True copy of the licence dated 22.11.2000 issued to the petitioner

by the second respondent Panchayat pursuant to the directions of the Board

and valid for a period of five years from 2000-01 to 2004-05.

Ext.P5 – True copy of the show cause notice dated 20.05.2003 issued by the

second respondent.

Ext.P6 – True copy of the letter dated 29.05.2003 of the convenor of the

Single Window Clearance Board to the Secretary of the second respondent

Panchayat.

Ext.P7 – True copy of the reply to the Ext P5 dated 3.6.2003 together with

its annexures.

Ext.P8 – True copy of the questionnaire issued to the petitioner by the

Secretary of the second respondent Panchayat dated nil.

Ext.P9 – True copy of the reply dated 16.7.2003 furnished by the petitioner

to the questionnaire as mentioned in Ext P8 herein.

Ext.P10 – True copy of ;the order No A4-353/2003 dated 22.08.2003 of the

second respondent Panchayat to the petitioner.

Ext.P11 – True copy of the report on ground water conditions at Pepsico

India Holdings (P) Ltd. Wise Park, Industrial Development Area, Kanjikode

dated 19.08.2003

Ext.P12 – True copy of report on Environmental Impact Assessment on the

ground water pumping at the petitioner’s plant prepared by Dr N.

Kittu,Member (Retd) Central Ground Water Board, dated Nil

Ext.P13 – True copy of the diagrammatical map showing the dyke zone and

geographical distance between petitioner’s plant and surrounding villages

dated Nil

Ext.P14 – True copy of the diagrammatical map demonstrating the rainwater

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 20

harvesting initiated by the petitioner’s plant and the recharge of the bore

wells, dated Nil.

Ext.P16 – True copy of the statement showing ground water level in

borewells 2001-2004

Ext.P17 – True copy of the statement showing details of water recharge

through various structures.

Ext.P18 – True copy of the statement showing rainfall at Kanjikode 1993-

2004.

Second Respondent’s exhibits:

Ext.R2(a) – True copy of the order No 262/2000 dated 5.5.2000 of the

Secretary of second respondent Panchayat.

Ext.R2(b) – True copy of the letter dated 13.3.2000 of the petitioner

company to the Panchayat requesting order for setting up bottling plant.

Ext.R2(c) True copy of application dated 12.03.2000 of petitioner company

to the Panchayat for sanction to construct building and install motor.

Ext.R2(d) – True copy of licence dated 22.11.2000 issued to the petitioner

company by the second respondent Panchayat.

Ext.R2(e) – True copy of letter dated 2.2.2001 of petitioner company to the

second respondent for change of name in Ext. R2(d)

Ext.R2(f) – True copy of letter dated 25.9.2001 of the petitioner company tot

he second respondent for change of name as Aradhana Beverages

Manufacturing Company

Ext.R2(g) – True copy of letter dated 01.11.2001 of petitioner company for

second respondent requesting for licence with further changed name.

Ext.R2(h) – True copy of letter dated 21.11.2001 of the petitioner company

to the second respondent requesting for permission to use crown, closures,

labels etc.

Ext.R2(i) – True copy of table showing fall of water level in open well No

142 of second respondent Panchayat

Ext.R2(j) series – True copies of representations of local people to second

respondent showing scarcity of water.

Ext.R2(k) – True copy of proceedings No LR(E)2216/03 dated 5.3.2003 of

Commission of Land Revenue declaring Palakkad districts as drought

stricken area.

Ext.R2(l) – True copy of table showing rain fall data from 1999-2002 in the

Walayar Dam Area issued by the Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division,

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 21

Chittoor, Palakkad

Ext.R2(m) – True copy of the letter dated 23.2.2004 of the Kerala State

Pollution Control Board to the petitioner.

Ext.R2(n) – True copy of the renewal of consent dated 6.4.2002 from the

State Pollution Control Board to the petitioner company with annexures.

Ext.R2(o)- True copy of the news report in Mathrubhoomi Cochin Edition

dated 17.10.2003

Ext.R2(p) – True copy of order G.O(Rt) No 672/2001/ID dated 24.7.2001

Ext. R2(q)- True copy of the proceedings dated 30.3.2005 of the

Commissioner of Land Revenue

Third respondent’s exhibits:

Ext.R3 (a) – True copy of statutory notification GO(Rt)No 672/2001/ID

dated 24/07/2001 issued by the first respondent.

[true copy]

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 22

W.P.C. No 27736 of 2004

Appendix

Petitioner’s exhibits:

Ext.P1 -True copy of permit issued to the petitioner by the second

respondent Panchayat vide Order No 262/2000 dated 05.05.2000

Ext.P2 – True copy of the Notification G.O.(Rt)No 672/2001-ID dated

24.07.01(SRO 730/2001)

Ext.P3- True copy of writ petition (Civil) No 8897 of 2004 dated

12.03.2004 as a public interest litigation.

Ext.P4 – True copy of show cause notice No A4-262/2000-04 dated

20.04.2004 issued by the 2nd respondent Panchayat

Ext.P5 – True copy of the reply to Ext P4 show cause notice dated April

24,2004

Ext.P6 – True copy of the order dated 15.9.2004 No A4-262/04 of the

second respondent Panchayat with its enclosures.

Ext.P7 – True copy of the interim order dated 22.04.2004 of the Division

Bench of this court in W.P.(C) No 27334 of 2003

Second respondent’s exhibits:

Ext. R2(a) – True copy of the application dated 12.3.2000 of the petitioner.

Ext.R2(b) – True copy of the letter dated 13.3.2000 issued by the petitioner

to the Panchayat President, Pudussery Central Village.

Ext.R2(c) – True copy of the letter No 3934 dated 30.10.2000 of the

Alternate Executive Officer, State Single Window Clearance Board.

Ext.R2(d) – True copy of the letter No 48498/M2/2000/LSGD dated

2.11.2000 of the Secretary to Government, Local Self Government

Department.

Ext.R2(f) – True copy of the letter of request of the company dated 2.2.2001

Ext.R2(g)- True copy of the letter dated 25.9.2001 issued to the Secretary

Pudussery Panchayat, Pudussery

Ext.R2(h) – True copy of the letter dated 1.11.2001 received by the second

respondent from the company.

WPC 27334/03 and 27736/04 23

Ext.R2(i) – True copy of the proceedings No LR(E) 2.216/03 dated 5.3.2003

of the Commissioner of Land Revenue

Ext.R2(j)- True copy of the rainfall data in the office of the Executive

Engineer, Irrigation Division, Chittur from 1999-2002

Ext.R2(k) – True copy of the table showing fall of water level in open well

No 142

Ext.R2(l) – True copy of the page 12 of Ext P1 and page 21 and 22 of Ext P7

in OP 27334/2003 of the petitioner.

Ext.R2(m) – True copy of the notice No PCB /H&R/PLKD /257/02 dated

26.4.2004 issued by the second respondent.

Ext.R2(n) – True copy of the Order dated 11.2.2004 in W.P.(C)No 27334 of

2003 of this court.

[true copy]