B.P.Singh, J.

1. Petitioner No. 1 Hindalco Industries Ltd. is a Public Limited Company within the meaning of the Companies Act. Having its registered office at Century Bhavan, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Bombay. It has also an office at Court Road, Lohardaga. Petitioner No. 2, Sri Nawal Kishore Birla is a shareholder of petitioner No. 1 -Company is engaged in the business of producing primary aluminium metal and its alloys at its factory at Renukoot in Uttar Pradesh. The basic raw material for manufacture of Aluminium is Bauxite, and in order to meet its requirement of Bauxite, petitioner No. 1-Company has obtained mining leases in the State of Bihar under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957. One of the leases held by the petitioner-Company is in respect of lands located in the district of Lohardaga consisting of both forest as well as non-forest land. The mining operations carried on over the said lease hold area is known as Maidanpat Bauxite Mine. The petitioner-Company initially carried on mining activity in the non-forest area comprised within its leasehold, and thereafter extended its mining activity to the forest area after obtai