IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA, CHANDIGARH F.A.O. No.2523 of 2007 (O & M) Date of Decision: July 24, 2008 U.H.P.V.N. Ltd. through Xen (OP) Division Ambala Cantt. .....APPELLANT(S) VERSUS Smt. Neelam Rani .....RESPONDENT(S) . . . CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAI LAMBA PRESENT: - Mr. Vikas Chaudhary, Advocate, for the appellant. Mr. J.S. Cooner, Advocate, for the respondent. . . . AJAI LAMBA, J (Oral) C.M. No.12830-CII of 2007 The application has been filed for condonation of delay of 91 days in filing the appeal. The reason given for delay is that certain additional documents were required which had to be taken from the Department. The documents were misplaced from the office of the counsel and therefore, delay cannot be attributed to the appellant. Delay is condoned. FAO No.2523 of 2007 Learned counsel for the appellant has FAO No.2523 of 2007 [2] contended that the Department on its own had decided the compensation to be paid to the respondent to the tune of Rs.1,76,803/-. Despite this, a dispute was raised by the workman, since deceased (now represented by his widow Smt. Neelam Rani, respondent) and interest and penalty thereupon were claimed. Contention of the learned counsel is that the certificate indicating the extent of handicap itself was furnished on 20.11.2002 whereafter the matter had to be decided by the Department at various levels and the procedures took time till the date of payment i.e. 11.3.2004. The appellant having admitted that the certificate indicating handicap was furnished on 20.11.2002, it would be appropriate to award interest on the amount of compensation from 20.11.2002 till 11.3.2004. Learned counsel for the respondent- claimant has no objection to the award of interest for the given period. The impugned order is accordingly modified. Respondent-Smt. Neelam Rani would be entitled to the compensation as awarded alongwith interest @ 12% on the amount of compensation from 20.11.2002 to 11.3.2004. The award of penalty shall remain the same. Appeal is disposed of in the above terms. (AJAI LAMBA) July 24, 2008 JUDGE avin