(1.) By this common order, four appeals i.e. RFA Nos.77, 866, 654 and 1055 of 1994 are being disposed of. The appeals in RFA Nos.866 and 1055 of 1994 are by the Punjab State Electricity Board for reduction of compensation, while the appeals in RFA Nos.77 and 654 of 1994 at the instance of landowners are for enhancement of compensation. The property measuring 16 kanals at Village Asspur, Tehsil and District Ropar was acquired for the purpose of construction of Spurs for stage-III of Ropar Thermal Plant, Ropar, through a notification brought on 28.02.1990. The Land Acquisition Collector had awarded compensation at Rs. 20,200/- per acre for salab and the District Judge had enhanced the compensation to Rs. 1,45,000/- per acre. He had also awarded 25% of value of acquired land for the un-acquired land due to severance.
(2.) Neither of the parties had filed any sale instances to provide as useful guide for determination of compensation. However, reliance was on a judgment rendered earlier in respect of acquisition of property in Ahmedpur said to be an adjacent village, through a notification made on 06.05.1986. The Reference Court had through its order passed on 28.09.1990 had provided for an enhancement from Rs. 20,500/- for chahi and Rs. 1,16,000/- for barani.
(3.) The Reference Court, while determining compensation, has referred to certain judgments that had been rendered for acquisition of other properties and relied on by the State. R1 was a judgment rendered on 21.04.1984 with reference to acquisition of property in Village Awankot said to adjoin Village Asspur. The District Judge had provided for a compensation of Rs. 9,000/- per acre for gair mumkin, Rs. 11,000/- for salab and Rs. 18,000/- for chahi. The acquisition had been made through a notification issued on 12.07.1979. The compensation assessed for acquisition of property nearly 11 years prior to the subject notification will not be appropriate and, therefore, I would have no reason to refer to the same. R2 relied on by the State was with reference to compensation for acquisition of properties in Villages Rattanpura, Ghanauli Daburji and Nuhon. The said acquisition was also for the Ropar Thermal Plant through a notification issued on 21.06.1979. The reason for rejection of R1 ought to therefore apply for R2 as well.