NTPC LTD Vs. SOHAN LAL AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of these appeals, the appellants have challenged the award passed by the Court of learned Addl. District Judge, Mandi in Land Ref. Petition No.14 of 2008 dated 08.11.2011 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 11.12.2000, which was published in official gazette on 19.12.2000 for the purpose of acquiring 158-5-7 bighas of land situated in village Randol, Tehsil Karsog, Distt. Mandi (H.P.) for construction of Kol Dam at Barmana Distt. Bilaspur. This was followed by issuance of notification under sections 6 & 7 of Land Acquisition Act on 15.10.2001 which was published in official gazette on 31.10.2001. After following the statutory formalities, the Land Acquisition Collector announced the award on 29.09.2006 and assessed the market value of the acquired land category wise, which is as under: <FRM>JUDGEMENT_76_LAWS(HPH)6_2017_1.html</FRM>

(3.) Feeling dissatisfied with the award so passed by the Land Acquisition Collector, the respondents herein filed reference petitions under section 18 of Land Acquisition Act before learned Addl. District Judge, Mandi camp at Karsog, which came to be clubbed (with two reference petitions No. 14 of 2008 & 23 of 2008) and on the basis of common evidence led by the parties, disposed of in terms of impugned awards.