THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C.BHANU WRIT PETITION No. 10029 OF 2011 ORDER: 1. This Writ Petition is filed seeking to declare the action of the respondents in not paying compensation amount to the petitioner in respect of land admeasuring Ac.0.38 cents in Survey No.91/5 situated at Gopalpuram Village, Ravulapalem Mandal, East Godavari District as illegal and arbitrary. 2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents. 3. It is the case of the petitioner that the land in question was acquired by the respondents-authorities for the purpose of raising and widening of Left Flood Bank of Vasista River and possession was also taken over by them; that it is a valuable land situated in industrial area and the cost thereof is Rs.1.00 lakhs per cent; that the respondents are offering meager amount of Rs.5,30,000/- per acre; that the respondents have not taken any pains to pay the compensation amount to the petitioner, and when the petitioner went to the office of the second respondent, who is concerned authority to pay the compensation amount, and enquired about the amount the officials stated that unless and until the petitioner accepts the amount offered by them, they would not pay the amount and asked him to sign on blank papers to make it appear that the petitioner accepted the amount offered by them; that, when the petitioner asked them to pay the amount under protest, the same is not being done; that the petitioner is a senior citizen aged 65 years, and because of non-payment of the compensation amount for the last 3 years, he has been suffering a lot, hence, the writ petition. 4. The grievance of the petitioner is that though the Government acquired his land, it is not paying compensation. There is a procedure contemplated under the Land Acquisition Act for payment of compensation. No further proceedings have been initiated in this regard. Enquiry has to be conducted by the Land Acquisition Officer to determine market value of the land. After collecting evidence, the Enquiry Officer has to pass an Award basing on the evidence available on record and also the material that may be produced by the petitioner. That stage has not yet come. Therefore, necessarily, enquiry has to be conducted for the purpose of determining the market value. Unless award is passed, question of paying compensation to the petitioner does not arise. In the circumstances, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the respondents to complete the enquiry as per law as early as possible after giving due opportunity to the petitioner. No costs. --------------------- (K.C.Bhanu, J.) 15.04.2011 DRK THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C.BHANU WRIT PETITION No. 10029 OF 2011 15.04.2011 THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE K.C.BHANU WRIT PETITION No. 10029 OF 2011 15.04.2011 Between: Areti Veeraraghavulu …Petitioner And State of Andhra Pradesh, rep. by its Principal Secretary to Government, Revenue Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad & others …Respondents