NTPC LTD Vs. BRIJ LAL AND ANOTHER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of these appeals, the appellants have challenged the award passed by the Court of learned District Judge, Bilaspur in Land Ref. Petition No.36 of 2006 dated 28.02.2012 alongwith connected land reference petitions with the prayer that the award so passed by the learned Court below be quashed and set aside as the same is on higher side.

(2.) Brief facts necessary for adjudication of the present appeals are that a notification was issued under section 4 of Land Acquisition Act,1894 (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") on 17.10.2000, which was published in official gazette on 18.10.2000 for the purpose of acquiring 669.12 bighas of land situated in village Harnora, Tehsil Sadar, Distt. Bilaspur (H.P.) for construction of Kol Dam at Bilaspur. This was followed by issuance of notification under sections 6 & 7 of Land Acquisition Act on 12.02.2001 which was published in official gazette on 19.02.2001. After following the statutory formalities, the Land Acquisition Collector announced the award on 15.01.2003 and assessed the market value of the acquired land category wise i.e. in the ratio of 4:5:1 which is as under:

(3.) Feeling dissatisfied with the award so passed by the Land Acquisition Collector, the respondents herein filed reference petition under section 18 of Land Acquisition Act. By way of award under challenge, in these appeals, all these reference petitions were decided by the learned District Judge by returning the following findings: