ORDER :

(Prayer: WP No. 4373 of 2000: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of The Constitution of India praying for the issuance of a Writ of Certiorari to call for the records of the 2nd Respondent in Final Order No.17/99, dated 31.3.99 and quash the same.)

1. Among these batch of cases, the Government of Tamil Nadu has filed WP No. 4373 of 2000, WP Nos. 7896, 7897, 7898, 7899, 7900 and 7901 of 2001 as well as WP Nos. 6958 and 6959 of 2002. The rest of the writ petitions were filed by the lesses, in which the Government is arrayed as the respondent.

2. As the issue raised in all these writ petitions is common, they are taken up for adjudication together and disposed of by this common order.

3. For the purpose of appreciation of the factual scenario, the averments made in WP No. 4373 of 2000 filed by the State Government is taken as a test case. The facts leading to the filing of WP No. 4373 of 2000 is as under.

4. The Government of Tamil Nadu vide G.O. Ms. No.2689, Industries Department dated 24.08.1967 granted mining lease to the first respondent M/s. Dalmia Cements (Bharat) Limited for mining limestone over an extent of 5.41 acres in S.F. Nos. 51/1 and 51/2 of Kallakudi Village, Lal