JUDGMENT

Rajendra Babu, J.-Leave granted.

2. Respondent Nos. 13 to 22 filed a writ petition in the High Court to restrain the appellants from putting up any construction, digging of well or carrying out any activity or establishing and putting up of a clay processing industry in the land comprised in Survey No. 23 of Varakodu Village, Honsangar Taluk, Shimoga District in the State of Karnataka and for a direction to the appellants and respondents Nos. 1 to 2 to appoint a commission for scientific study of the environment and ecology in the area for establishing of clay processing unit in the land in question or in any other land in Sahyadri mountain range or the entire western ghat with reference to the feasibility of mining and establishing indusry. They also alleged that there has been contravention of the provisions of the Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the Act ) in addition to the enactments made for protection of the environment and ecology like the Karnataka Forests Act, Karnataka Preservation of Trees Act and Forests Conservation Act. The land was purchased by appellant No. 2 from the descendants of one Seetarama Maruti under a registered sale de