IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY AT GOA FIRST APPEAL NO. 70 OF 2001 LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER & ANR. ... Appellant Versus RECARDO SEQUEIRA & ORS. ... Respondent Ms. Winnie Coutinho, Government Advocate for the Appellants. Coram:- N. A. BRITTO, J. Date:- 27th April, 2010 P.C.:- Heard Ms. Winnie Coutinho, learned Government Advocate for the Appellants. None present for the Respondents today. None was present on their behalf on 20-4-2010 and 22-4-2010. They have not filed any appeal or cross objections. This is State's appeal and is directed against Judgment dated 29-11-2000 by which the learned Reference Court enhanced the compensation payable from Rs.0.50 to Rs.2/- per square meter. There is no dispute that the Government has paid compensation at the rate of Rs.2/- per sq. meter in L.A.C. No.4/87. This the learned Counsel on behalf of the Appellants fairly concedes. Based on the same, the compensation payable was enhanced from 50 paise to Rs.2/-. Case No. LAC/4/87 pertains to the very Notification by which land was acquired in this case. If the Government has paid Rs.2/- per sq. meter for the land acquired in LAC No.4/87, under the same Notification and for the same purpose I see no reason why the Government ought not to pay the same compensation to the land involved in this case. The approach adopted by the learned Reference Court cannot be faulted. Consequently, I find there is no merit in this appeal and the same is dismissed. It appears that at one stage the Government offered compensation at the rate of Rs.1.25 which was not acceptable to the Respondents. This appeal is almost a decade old. The acquisition is almost four decades old. Appellants to pay costs of Rs.5000/- to the Respondents. N. A. BRITTO, J. RD.