B.N. SRIKRISHNA, J.:---The writ petitioners in this case challenge the setting up of a Cryogenic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (L.P.G.) storage and handling facility in close vicinity of their establishments, on several grounds including ground of mala fides on the part of the statutory authorities in granting the requisite licence and clearances and also on the ground that the said facility is hazardous environmentally and violative of the Coastal Region Zone Regulations (C.R.Z.).

2. The petitioners are companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956, belonging to the Tata Group of Companies and doing the business of generation, transmission and bulk distribution of electricity in their area of supply in Greater Mumbai under licence granted by the State Government under the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910.

3. Respondent No. 1 is the State of Maharashtra; respondent No. 2 is the Bombay Municipal Corporation; respondent Nos. 3 to 7 are different statutory authorities exercising statutory functions. Respondent No. 8 is a Company incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 which carries on the business of storage and handling of various chemicals. R