SPECIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER Vs. RANCHHODBHAI KHUSHALBHAI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) All these appeals are being disposed of by this common judgment as they are arising out of the impugned common judgment and award dated 20th January, 2001 passed by the learned Civil Judge (S.D.), Surendranagar delivered in L.A.R. Nos. 306 to 327 of 1997.

(2.) 22 Reference cases namely L.A.R. Nos. 306 to 327 of 1997 were made by the Special Land Acquisition Officer, Narmada Yojna, Unit-11, Ahmedabad for Narmada Yojna Canal at village Lakhtar of Dist: Surendranagar under section 18 of the Land Acquisition Act (for short "the Act"), wherein th claimants prayed for adequate compensation for the lands which were acquired by the State for the public purpose of Narmada canal.

(3.) Notification under section 4 of the Act was published in the year 1992 followed by the notification under section 6 in the year 1993. The lands admeasuring from 20 sq.mtrs. to 44884 sq.mtrs. of 22 land owners were acquired by the aforesaid notification. An award came to be passed on 23/11/1995 by the Land Acquisition Officer whereby the Land Acquisition Officer awarded meagre amount of Rs.2.00 per sq.mtr. only. Therefore, the aforesaid References were made before the learned Civil Judge (S.D.), Surendranagar.