JUDGMENT

A.M. Ahmadi, CJI - Special leave granted.

These appeal seek to challenge: (1) the common judgment and order of the Orissa High Court dated April 4, 1995, arising out of OJC No.7729 of 1993 and allied matters and (2) the decision of the Central Government dated August 17, 1995 made pursuant to the said judgment of the High Court.

2. The appellants in these appeals are the Tata Iron and Steel Company, Limited, (hereinafter called "TISCO") and the Industrial Development Corporation of Orissa Limited (hereinafter called "IDCOL"). The principal respondents are the Union of India, the State of Orissa, M/s. Indian Charge Chrome Limited, (hereinafter called "ICCL"), Indian Metal & Ferro Alloys Limited, (hereinafter called "IMFA"), M/s. Jindal Strips Limited, (hereinafter called "JSL"), Ferro Alloys Corporation Limited (hereinafter called "FACOR") and Ispat Alloys Limited.

3. The factual matrix of the case is as follows:

The appellant, TISCO, is a limited company, one of whose primary objects has been to carry on business as a mining industry. It claims that it was the first to discover Chrome ore in the Sukinda Valley, Orissa, in the year 1949. It applied to