R.F.A. No. 572 of 2010 [ 1] IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH R.F.A. No. 572 of 2010 (O&M) Date of decision: 17.11.2010 State of Haryana and another .. Appellants v. Smt. Murti Devi and others .. Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH BINDAL Present: Mr. Ashish Gupta, Assistant Advocate General, Haryana. ... Rajesh Bindal J. This order will dispose of R.F.A. Nos. 572, 576, 577, 579 to 583, 2574, 2576 to 2584, 2625 and 5332 to 5348 of 2010, as common questions of law and facts are involved. The State is in appeal seeking reduction in the amount of compensation awarded to the land owners for the acquired land. Briefly, the facts of the case are that vide notification dated 18.8.2005, issued under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 (for short, `the Act'), State of Haryana acquired 21.37 acres of land in village Khambahera Hadbast No. 128, Tehsil Gulha, District Kaithal for construction of BML Hansi Branch Butana Branch Multi Purpose Link Channelfrom RD0-91000 off from RD No. 340300-L Bhakra Main Line. The same was followed by notification dated 13.9.2005, issued under Section 6 of the Act. The Land Acquisition Collector (for short, `the Collector') assessed the market value of the acquired land @ ` 5,00,000/- per acre. Dissatisfied with the award of the Collector, the land owners filed objections. On reference under Section 18 of the Act, the learned court below assessed the market value of the acquired land @ ` 6,00,000/- per acre. Vide another notification of the same date, State of Haryana acquired 22.36 acres of land in village Kharal, Hadbast No. 130, Tehsil Gulhla, District Kaithal for the same purpose. The Collector assessed the market value of the R.F.A. No. 572 of 2010 [ 2] acquired land @ 5,00,000/- per acre. Dissatisfied with the award of the Collector, the land owners filed objections. On reference under Section 18 of the Act, the learned court below assessed the market value of the acquired land @ 6,00,000/- per acre. Vide another notification of the same date, State of Haryana acquired 23.20 acres of land in village Bichhian, Hadbast No. 3, Tehsil Guhla, District Kaithal for the same purpose. The Collector assessed the market value of the acquired land @ 5,00,000/- per acre. Dissatisfied with the award of the Collector, the land owners filed objections. On reference under Section 18 of the Act, the learned court below assessed the market value of the acquired land @ 6,00,000/- per acre. The only contention raised by learned counsel for the State impugning the award of the learned court below is that the award of ` 6,00,000/- per acre on account of division of land into two parts considering the fact that acquisition was for the purpose of construction of channel is without any basis, as there may be some cases in which the land had not been divided into two parts. After hearing learned counsel for the appellants, I do not find any merit in the submissions made. With the acquisition of land for the purpose of construction of channel, invariably the land owned by the land owners is divided into two parts. However, there can be some isolated instances where the land may not have been divided and only a small portion of one side of the land may have been acquired, but no facts have been pleaded in detail as to in what cases there is no division of land as such. Considering the aforesaid facts and also that the amount awarded by the learned court below is not very substantial, I do not find any reason to interfere with the impugned award. Accordingly, the appeals are dismissed. Consequently, the accompanying applications are also dismissed. (Rajesh Bindal) Judge 17.11.2010 mk