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1997 (7) TMI 600 - SUPREME COURTWhether the Regulation would apply to transfer of Government land to a non-tribal? Whether the Government can grant mining lease of the lands situated in scheduled area to a non-tribal? Whether the leases are in violation of Section 2 of the FC Act? Whether the leases are in violation of Environment Protection Act, 1986 (for short, the 'EP Act')? Held that:- It is an admitted position that five enclosures comprise of 426 acres of land occupied by the tribals in those villages. Re-survey started in 1990 jointly by Revenue, Forest and Mining Departments and was completed and the report was made on August 2, 1990. Though 14 villages with five enclosures were notified as Borra reserved forest in GOMs No. 2997 F & A dated October 31 1,1966, they stood excluded from reserved forest area. Therefore, the lands in the enclosures being cultivated by the tribals are their patta lands and are entitled to get pattas by the concerned officers. It is conceded on behalf of the respondents that the Government have no power to grant mining leases for these lands situated within the enclosures. It is seen from the evidence that the mining leases were granted by the State Government or were transferred and retransferred with the sanction of the State Government from private individuals to juristic persons, the partnership firms or companies. The lands with mining area are situated either in the reserved forest or forest land or within the scheduled area. Therefore, all the mining leases or renewals thereof are in violation of the Fifth Schedule. Equally, mining leases/renewals of mining leases by the, State Government are in violation of Regulation 3(1)(a) read with Section 3(2) of the Regulation and F.C. Act. Therefore, they are all void. The State Government, therefore, is directed to ensure that all concerned industrialists, be they natural or juristic person stop forthwith mining operations within the scheduled area, except where the lease has been granted to the State Undertaking, i.e., A.P.S.M.D. Corporation; they should report compliance of this order to the Registry of this Court within six months of the receipt of this judgment. The lessees of mining leases are directed not to break fresh mines; however, in the meanwhile, they are entitled to remove the minerals already extracted and stocked in the reserved forest area within four months time from today. All concerned authorities are directed to ensure compliance thereof. Even the State Undertaking carrying the mining operations, would be subject to the regulations under the FC Act and EPA. It would be open to the State Government to organise Co-operative., Societies composed solely of the Scheduled Tribes to exploit mining operations within the scheduled area subject to the compliance of the FC Act and EPA. The appeal of Samatha are accordingly allowed. The judgment of the High Court stands set aside and directions are issued accordingly.
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