HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE L. NARASIMHA REDDY WRIT PETITION No. 21316 OF 2009 ORDER: The petitioner was the owner of an extent about Acs.4-00 of land in survey Nos.291/2 and 292/2 of Kanaipally Village, Kothakota Mandal, Mahabubnagar District. The land was acquired for the Bheema Irrigation Project by publishing notification under Section 4 (1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short ‘the Act’) on 28-12-2006. There existed fruit bearing trees on the land. The 2nd respondent had passed an award on 25-06-2008 and paid compensation to the petitioner for the land. However, no award was passed in respect of the trees. This writ petition is filed with a prayer to direct the respondents to pay compensation for the standing trees, which existed upon the acquired land. 2. The 3rd respondent filed a counter – affidavit admitting the fact that the land of the petitioner was acquired and there were trees upon it. As regards the payment of compensation to the trees, it is stated that a District Level Committee was constituted comprising of Special Deputy Collector, Land Acquisition; Assistant Director of Horticulture and the Executive Engineer of the Project for assessing the value of the trees, but the joint inspection, that was proposed to take place on 28th and 30th December, 2009 did not take place on account of the pre-occupation of one the members. The 3rd respondent has ultimately stated that the compensation will be paid after the value is determined by the Committee. 3. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Government Pleader for the Land Acquisition. 4. There is no dispute that the land of the petitioner was acquired, but award was passed in respect of the land alone excluding the trees. Though the respondents initiated steps for assumption of the value, they did not fructify. 5. Nearly three years have elapsed ever since the award for the land was passed. The petitioner cannot be denied compensation for the trees for such a long time. The 3rd respondent is under obligation to ensure that the value of the trees is determined, even if the Committee has any problem in proceeding with the matter. 6. Hence, the Writ Petition is disposed of directing the 3rd respondent to fix the value of the trees that existed on the land, acquired from the petitioner, within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs. ___________________ L.NARASIMHA REDDY, J February 15, 2011. KTL