Altamas Kabir, J.— Leave granted. With the intention of setting up an integrated steel plant in the State of Orissa, Bhushan Ltd. entered into discussions with the State Government in 2001 in that regard. Pursuant to such discussions, Bhushan Ltd. applied to Industrial Development Corporation of India (IDCO) for acquisition of land measuring 1250 acres, for setting up the proposed plant in the identified villages of Thelkoloi, Dhubenchhabrar and Khariapalli (Lapanga) in the district of Sambalpur.
2. On 13-11-2001, Bhushan Ltd. applied to Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Orissa Ltd. (Ipicol) for appraisal and recommendation for acquisition of land for the aforesaid purpose to IDCO. Bhushan Ltd. also addressed two letters to the Collector, Sundergarh and Collector, Keonjhar on 28-11-2001, applying for grant of lease for mining of iron ore for use in the proposed plant. The applications were received in the Collector's office on 3-12-2001, 4-12-2001 and 1-3-2002. On the basis of such applications filed by Bhushan Ltd., a meeting was held on 27-3-2002 between the Chief Secretary, Government of Orissa and Bhushan Ltd., in which the Government agreed to accord due priority to Bhushan Ltd. for grant of suitable iron ore areas and also agreed to recommend the proposal of Bhushan Ltd. to the Government of India for grant of a coal block.
3. Thereafter, meetings were held between Bhushan Ltd. and the representatives of the State Government and one such meeting was held on 24-4-2002, under the Chairmanship of the Chief Minister, relating to the setting up of the steel plant at Lapanga. The said meeting was confirmed by IDCO and the Water Resources Department and it was decided to prepare a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be signed by the parties for setting up of a 1.2 million tonne steel plant under Phase I and a 2.8 million tonne steel plant in Phase II in Lapanga, in the district of Sambalpur. The MoU contained the commitment of the State Government to recommend to the Central Government for grant of iron ore mines to the appellant for its use in the plant to be set up at Lapanga.
4. As far as the grant of the iron ore mines is concerned, the State Government agreed to make the following recommendations to the Central Government:
(a) For grant of 96 million tonne iron ore reserves in Joda Barbil Sector of Keonjhar (Thakurani area) for 50 years' requirement of the plant.
(b) For additional 128 million tonne of iron ore reserves in Keora, District Sundergarh, to meet a requirement of 1.6 million tonnes for 50 years.
The total requirement of 200 million tonnes was split up into two parts i.e 96 million tonnes and 128 million tonnes respectively, and the same were to be met from the Thakurani mines situated in Joda Barbil Sector and from the Keora area of Sundergarh District.
5. Pursuant to the aforesaid understanding, on 16-5-2002, the Government of Orissa addressed two letters to the Government of India, in its Ministry of Steel and Ministry of Coal, for allotment of Jamkhani and Bijahan Coal Blocks to Bhushan Ltd. In aid of the decision to set up the steel plant, the Department of Energy issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for setting up of a power plant at Thelkoloi in the name of Bhushan Ltd. and, on 5-7-2002 the State Government conveyed its approval for acquisition of 632.28 acres of private land and 634.94 acres of government land in identified villages under Rengali Tehsil of Sambalpur District, for establishment of the steel plant.
6. Several meetings took place between the Principal Secretary and the representatives of Bhushan Ltd., where even the Joint Secretary of Mines was present and assurances were given to Bhushan Ltd. to send the proposal for grant of mining lease in favour of Bhushan Ltd. to the State Government by the first week of September 2002. On 22-10-2002 even the State Pollution Control Board gave its approval in principle for setting up the plant in the selected sites.
7. On 8-11-2002, the Director, Mines, furnished his report on the application made by the appellant on 4-12-2001 for grant of mining lease over the Thakurani Block area. In the said report it was recorded that Thakurani Block A and Block B mines had been leased in favour of the Shardas in 1934, by the ex-Ruler of Keonjhar and that the Thakurani Block A mines had been extensively mined by the original lessee from 1934 onwards.
8. The report also disclosed that in 1998, the matter was settled in this Court between the State, the Shardas and the Centre. It was agreed that Thakurani Block A would be relinquished in favour of the State and the mining lease of Block B would be renewed in favour of the Shardas. Accordingly, in terms of the settlement, Thakurani Block A became available with the State. It is on the aforesaid basis that the appellant had been advised to apply to the State Government for this area, and the same was done in December 2001.
9. The report also indicated that a mining licence could be granted to Bhushan Ltd. in relaxation of Rule 59(2) of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960 (hereinafter referred to as “the MC Rules”), in view of the fact that Thakurani Block A had been mined by the original lessee from 1934 onwards. The State Government was advised to recommend to the Centre for grant of relaxation under Rule 59(2) of the MC Rules.
10. On 19-2-2003, the Orissa Electricity Regulatory Commission (OERC) passed an order granting permission for installation of a captive power plant by Bhushan Ltd. It is at this stage that trouble began to brew.
11. A decision had been taken to merge Bhushan Ltd. with Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd. (BSSL) which had an identity which was separate from that of Bhushan Ltd., though treated to be a family concern under the Bhushan family umbrella. On 21-2-2003, the Government of Orissa was informed by Shri Brij Bhushan Singhal, Chairman of the Bhushan Group, that Bhushan Ltd., the appellant herein, would not be merging with BSSL, but that the papers were being processed in the name of Bhushan Ltd., as a group. Accordingly, the State Government was requested not to process the papers for 2-3 months.
12. On 17-3-2003, BSSL wrote to the Chief Minister, informing him of the developments which had taken place and that two companies had decided not to merge, with retrospective effect from 1-4-2002, as had been decided earlier. Thereafter, on 5-5-2003, Shri Neeraj Singhal wrote to the Chief Minister on behalf of BSSL informing him that BSSL was unable to process the setting up of the steel plant at Lapanga and in order to minimise the friction between the two groups within the family, BSSL had decided to set up a separate steel plant at a different location in Mehramandali in the district of Dhenkanal in respect whereof 1500 acres of land had been identified.
13. On 17-6-2003, the Water Resources Department, Government of Orissa, wrote to Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd. giving its approval to the layout for intake well for drawal of 100 cusecs water for the integrated steel plant of the Company. This was followed by grant of a certificate by IDCO on 19-7-2003, confirming sanction of land for lease measuring 488.08 acres in favour of Bhushan Ltd. comprising Thelkoloi, Dhubenchhapar and Khariapalli, which had been identified in the MoU for establishment of the steel plant by Bhushan Ltd.
14. The said sanctions were followed up by a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister of Orissa on 25-7-2003, wherein the progress of the project was discussed and it was resolved that the application of Bhushan Ltd. for iron ore deposits would be recommended to the Government of India and that no fresh MoU was required to be filed. It was decided that the MoU executed earlier between the Bhushan Group and the State Government on 15-7-2002, would remain undisturbed, since the same had already been acted upon by both sides. It was also decided that the application of Bhushan Ltd. for iron ore deposits would be recommended to the Government of India in terms of the MoU, after the same was placed before the Screening Committee which was chaired by the Chief Secretary.
15. Further to the permission being granted to Bhushan Ltd. on 21-2-2003, for installation of a captive power plant, OERC granted a “no-objection certificate” to Bhushan Ltd. for setting up of a captive power plant for increased capacity. Subsequently, various other steps were taken for establishment of the power plant at Lapanga by Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd.
16. On 10-2-2004, the State Government wrote to Shri Sanjay Singhal, representing Bhushan Ltd., that in view of the reorganisation and restructuring of the Bhushan Group, the earlier MoU ceased to exist and had lost its force. Accordingly, a fresh MoU was required to be entered into between the appellants and the State Government for speedy implementation of the project which was on the anvil. It is the case of the appellants that this letter was never acted upon by either party, since, thereafter, the State allotted and granted possession of large tracts of land to the appellants and other agreements, such as drawal of water were entered into, permission was given for connectivity with the grid and various other administrative sanctions, as also approval for acquisition of land, were made in favour of Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd., without any insistence for the execution of a fresh MoU. Simultaneously, Shri Neeraj Singhal of BSSL was also informed by the State that since they wanted to set up a separate steel plant at Mehramandali, a fresh MoU to this effect could be entered into between the State and BSSL.
17. Responding to the Letter of 10-2-2004, Bhushan Ltd. wrote back on 21-2-2004 stating that no fresh MoU was required to be signed, since the earlier MoU was quite valid. On 11-3-2004, the Government of Orissa, in its Department of Industries, informed IDCO that the Government had been pleased to advise for immediate transfer of acquired land, both government and private, to Bhushan Ltd., after observing all the necessary formalities. However, on 17-3-2004, Shri Neeraj Singhal, Managing Director of BSSL, wrote to the Principal Secretary, Department of Steel and Mines, contending that Bhushan Ltd., as also BSSL, were entitled to the benefits of the MoU, which had been signed on 15-5-2002. Within a week thereafter, on 24-3-2004, IDCO transferred the land for the project at Lapanga to Bhushan Ltd. and possession thereof was also made over on several dates.
18. On 12-5-2004, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, gave clearance to the project at Rengali in the name of Bhushan Ltd. The Chief Inspector of Factories and Boilers, gave approval to the steam and feed water pipeline drawing for Bhushan Ltd. on 2-7-2004. On 3-9-2004, the Government of Orissa, in its Ministry of Environment and Forests, granted approval to Bhushan Ltd. for diversion of 59.16 ha of forest land for establishment of the integrated steel plant and an agreement was also drawn up between the Government and Bhushan Ltd. on 17-9-2004, for drawal of water from the Hirakud reservoir for use in the proposed integrated steel plant at Lapanga.
19. On 2-2-2005 the State Government wrote to Bhushan Ltd. seeking the status report of the steel plant project and on 16-3-2005, permission was granted for provisional energisation of 220 kV line issued by the Chief Electrical Inspector in favour of Bhushan Ltd. Several other approvals were granted up to 9-8-2005, and finally in March 2005, Bhushan Ltd. (BPSL) commenced production at its steel plant. On 6-9-2005, administrative approval was given for acquisition of additional private land for Lapanga plant, granted by the Steel and Mines Department to Bhushan Ltd. Similar approval was given in respect of other lands on 28-9-2005 and 6-2-2006.
20. Simultaneously, with administrative approval being given for acquisition of private land for the Lapanga plant on 3-11-2005, an agreement was entered into between BSSL and the Government of Orissa for putting up the steel plant at Mehramandali. There was no mention of the MoU dated 15-5-2002 in the said agreement. Within a matter of 10 days, the Directorate of Factories and Boilers wrote to Bhushan Ltd. granting permission under the Factories Act, 1948, to construct the steel plant at Lapanga.
21. Surprisingly, on 31-12-2005 the Government of Orissa issued a Letter to Bhushan Ltd. indicating that it had decided not to treat the MoU signed earlier with M/s Bhushan Group of Companies as place specific after the Company had been divided into Bhushan Ltd. (BPSL) and M/s Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd. (BSSL). The Bhushan Group was informed that the State Government had decided to deal with both the companies separately and to sign two separate agreements for the purpose of acquiring land, allotting mines and providing other facilities for establishment and growth of steel plants in Orissa.
22. On 9-1-2006, a Letter was addressed by the Directorate of Factories and Boilers to Bhushan Steel Ltd. approving the draft of the steam pipeline and on 13-1-2006, on the recommendation of the Government of Orissa, the Central Government allotted Bijahan Coal Block in the district of Sundergarh to Bhushan Ltd. as per the MoU.
23. Even more surprisingly, on 18-1-2006, the Government of Orissa issued a show-cause notice to Bhushan Ltd. to appear before the Joint Secretary on 17-2-2006 for a personal hearing. Several deficiencies in the application for mining lease of iron ore dated 4-12-2001 in respect of Thakurani Block A were also pointed out. Thereafter, the State Government informed the appellants that their application dated 4-12-2001, for mining lease over the Thakurani area could not be allowed on various grounds. However, the most significant ground was that the area in question came within the relinquished area of the mining lease of M/s Sharda which was not thereafter thrown open for reallotment under Rule 59 of the aforesaid Rules. It was alleged that the application made by Bhushan Ltd. was, therefore, premature. Having rejected the appellants' prayer for grant of mining lease, on 9-2-2006, the Government of Orissa made a recommendation to the Central Government to grant mining lease in favour of M/s Neepaz Metaliks (P) Ltd. in relaxation of Rule 59(1) of the aforesaid Rules, for a period of 30 years.
24. On 28-2-2006, Bhushan Ltd. altered its name to Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd. (BPSL). On 8-5-2006, Bhushan Ltd. filed Writ Petition No. 6646 of 2006 before the Orissa High Court. On the next day, the State Government issued a reminder to Bhushan Ltd. in regard to its Letter dated 31-12-2005, by which the State Government had asked for a separate MoU from Bhushan Ltd., in spite of the MoU already existing between the parties, which had also been acted upon till as late as 26-4-2006. On 15-5-2006, the High Court passed an interim order granting status quo with regard to the applications for mining lease. On 5-9-2006, an intervention application was filed by BSSL, which was allowed on 6-12-2006.
25. During the course of hearing of the writ petition, the High Court passed an interim order and directed that the problems relating to the show-cause notice dated 18-1-2006 should be resolved keeping in view the commitments of the State. On 26-6-2007, the High Court directed circulation of the order dated 18-6-2007, and liberty was given to Bhushan Ltd. to challenge the same by filing an affidavit in the writ proceedings. Such affidavit was duly filed on 10-7-2007, and the order impugned in the present appeal came to be passed by the High Court on 14-12-2007 WP (C) No. 6646 of 2006, dismissing the aforesaid Writ Petition No. 6646 of 2006.
26. The substance of the order of the High Court while dismissing the writ petition is:
(a) The Court cannot set aside the communication of the State Government asking the appellants to sign a fresh MoU with the Government as early as possible.
(b) The appellants' application for grant of mining lease dated 4-12-2001 should be considered afresh by the appropriate authorities of the State Government in accordance with law, along with other similarly placed applicants.
(c) The appellants would be at liberty to challenge the subsequent report of the Director of Mines dated 31-5-2007 in the hearing which would be afforded to the appellants by the appropriate authority of the State.
(d) The appellants would be at liberty to challenge the order dated 18-6-2007 on merits, but it was also submitted that the application for mining lease of the appellants would be considered after it executed a fresh MoU with the State Government.
27. As indicated hereinbefore, on 21-4-2008 SLP (C) No. 8567 of 2008 this Court passed an interim order in the special leave petition filed by Bhushan Ltd. directing the parties to maintain status quo with regard to the lands indicated in the application filed by the appellants for grant of mining lease. However, one of the most significant developments that subsequently took place was that on 15-11-2011, Shri B.B Singhal and Shri Neeraj Singhal, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Bhushan Steel and Strips Ltd. filed affidavits withdrawing all their claims and rights in the MoU dated 15-5-2002, executed between the State Government and Bhushan Ltd. and declaring that the said MoU was and had always been in favour of Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd. The abovenamed persons also prayed for deletion of their names from the array of the parties.
28. Appearing for the appellants, Mr Mukul Rohatgi, learned Senior Advocate, pointed out that only two issues arise for the consideration of this Court in the present case, namely:
(a) Whether the memorandum of understanding dated 15-5-2002 continues to subsist in favour of the appellants?
(b) Whether the State Government is obliged to make recommendations for the grant of iron ore mines in terms of the stipulations contained in the aforesaid MoU dated 15-5-2002, and whether in respect of the areas which had not been notified under Rule 59(1), the State Government can make a recommendation for relaxation of Rule 59(1) under Rule 59(2)?
29. Mr Rohatgi submitted that having entered into a memorandum of understanding with the appellant Company and having acted thereupon and having also caused the appellants to change their position to their detriment, it was not open to the State Government to call upon the appellants to execute a fresh MoU, during the subsistence of the MoU dated 15-5-2002.
30. Mr Rohatgi also submitted that notwithstanding the State Government's requirement that the appellants should enter into a fresh MoU, the State Government continued to act under the MoU dated 15-5-2002. Despite the communications dated 10-2-2004 and 31-12-2005 aboverecorded, the State Government went on further to hold that all the steps required to be taken for installation of the steel plant at Lapanga, had been taken, except that it did not comply with the obligations of making recommendations to the Central Government for grant of iron ore mines.
31. Mr Rohatgi urged that during the pendency of the proceedings, the dispute between the members of the Bhushan Group had been settled and the parties had mutually agreed to withdraw all the allegations and claims relating to the MoU dated 15-5-2002. Incidentally, by filing IA No. 13, BSSL confirmed that Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd. was the sole beneficiary under the MoU dated 15-5-2002, and withdrew all its claims under the MoU dated 15-5-2002.
32. Mr L. Nageswara Rao, learned Senior Advocate, appearing for the State of Orissa has also very fairly stated that in view of the settlement of disputes between the members of the Bhushan Group, the issue relating to the MoU did not survive and, since the State Government had already performed its obligation under the MoU, the only thing remaining to be done by the State is to make recommendations to the Central Government for grant of iron ore mines to Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd.
33. Mr Rohatgi submitted that in the changed circumstances, the question of execution of a fresh MoU loses its relevance and the Letter dated 31-12-2005, calling upon the appellants to execute a fresh MoU, is not required to be given effect to. Consequently, it may be held that the MoU dated 15-5-2002, continues to be valid and subsisting between the State of Orissa and Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd.
34. On the question of Rule 59 of the MC Rules, which formed the basis of the State Government's decision to reject the appellants' application for being recommended to the Central Government for grant of a mining lease, Mr Rohatgi submitted that such recommendations had been made by the State Government in favour of other applicants as well, such as M/s SMC Power Generation Ltd., M/s Neepaz Metaliks, M/s Sree Metaliks and M/s Deepak Steel & Power. Therefore, there was no reason to deny the same benefits to the appellants as well.
35. Appearing for the intervener, M/s Jindal Steels Ltd., Mr K.V Viswanathan, learned Senior Advocate submitted that so long as any allotment made in favour of the appellants did not impinge on the allotment made in favour of M/s Jindal Steels Ltd., it could have no grievance against a separate allotment being made in favour of the appellants.
36. The mutual settlement of the disputes between the members of the Bhushan Group has altered the situation considerably, since BSSL has withdrawn its claim under the MoU dated 15-5-2002, and has declared that the said MoU was and had always been executed by the State Government in favour of Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd., which had set up its steel plant at Lapanga. As indicated hereinbefore, although, the MoU was entered into by the State Government with the Bhushan Group for setting up a steel plant at Lapanga, at a later stage, BSSL also laid claim under the MoU for setting up a separate steel plant at Mehramandali and a suggestion was also made for execution of a fresh MoU between the State Government and BSSL to this effect.
37. Pursuant to the MoU with Bhushan Ltd., the State Government had not only allotted land for the setting up of the steel plant at Lapanga, it had even extended all help for the commissioning of the plant, which, in fact, had already started functioning. However, it is the claim made by BSSL under the MoU executed on 15-5-2002, that had created obstructions in the setting up of the steel plant at Lapanga.
38. Despite having allotted land and granted sanction to Bhushan Ltd. to take steps for construction of the said plant, it was subsequently contended that the application filed by Bhushan Ltd. was premature and could not, therefore, be acted upon. Specific instances have been mentioned hereinabove of the steps taken by the various departments in extending cooperation to Bhushan Ltd. to set up its steel plant at Lapanga. To now turn around and take a stand that the application made by Bhushan Ltd. was premature, is not only unreasonable, but completely unfair to Bhushan Ltd., who have already invested large sums of money in setting up the plant.
39. The State Government had, on its own volition, entered into the MoU with Bhushan Ltd. on 15-5-2002, and had even agreed to request the Central Government to allot mining areas and coal blocks for operating the steel plant. Whatever differences that may have resulted on account of the dispute within the Bhushan Group, which could have led to the rethinking on the part of the State Government, have now been laid to rest by virtue of the settlement arrived at between Bhushan Ltd. (now BPSL) and BSSL. The State Government has also accepted the said position. In addition to the above, the action taken by the State Government appears to us to be highly unreasonable and arbitrary and also attracts the doctrine of legitimate expectation.
40. There is no denying the fact that the appellants have altered their position to their detriment in accordance with the MoU dated 15-5-2002. Whatever may have been the arrangement subsequently arrived at between the State Government and BSSL, the original MoU dated 15-5-2002 continued to be in existence and remained operative. The State Government appears to have acted arbitrarily in requiring Bhushan Ltd. to enter into a separate MoU, notwithstanding the existence of the MoU dated 15-5-2002, which, as mentioned hereinabove, had been acted upon by the parties.
41. In the light of the above, the High Court erred in holding that it could not interfere with the decision of the State Government calling upon the appellants to sign a fresh MoU with the Government, during subsistence of the earlier MoU. Since the State Government has already made allotments in favour of others in relaxation of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, under Rule 59(2) thereof, no cogent ground had been made out on behalf of the State to deny the said privilege to the appellants as well. Accordingly, we allow the appeal and set aside the judgment and order of the High Court of Orissa and also the decision of the State Government dated 9-2-2006, rejecting the appellants' claim for grant of mining lease.
42. During the course of hearing, we have been informed that Thakurani Block A has large reserves of iron ore, in which the appellants can also be accommodated. We, accordingly, direct the State of Orissa to take appropriate steps to act in terms of the MoU dated 15-5-2002, as also its earlier commitments to recommend the case of the appellants to the Central Government for grant of adequate iron ore reserves to meet the requirements of the appellants in their steel plant at Lapanga. There will be no order as to costs.