IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.N.RAVINDRAN THURSDAY, THE 23RD DECEMBER 2010 / 2ND POUSHA 1932 WP(C).No. 36723 of 2010(M) ---------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------- 1. SARADAMMA,RESIDING AT SARADA MADOM, PALACE WARD,KOLLAM. 2. BALAJI RAO,RESIDING AT VALYAT THEKKE MADHOM,KOTTAKKAKOM,KOLLAM-13. 3. RAJAGOPAL,RESIDING AT PUTHEN MADHOM, KACHERI,KOLLAM-13. 4. RAJAMANI,RESIDING AT PUTHENVEEDU, KACHERI,KOLLAM-13. 5. SADANADA RAO,RESIDING AT PUTHEN VEEDU, KACHERI,KOLLAM-13. 6. N.M.SEETHA BHAI,RESIDING AT PUTHEN VEEDU EAST OF KUMAR HOSPITAL,KOLLAM. 7. DR.RAMA PAI,RESIDING AT 8-C LINK, LAKSHMAN SAHODARAN,AYYAPPAN ROAD,VALANJAMBALAM, KOCHI. 8. PREMEELA BHAI,RESIDING AT LAKSHMI NIVAS, NO.1,T.D.NAGAR,T.D.ROAD,KACHERI WARD,KOLLAM-13. 9. RICHARD NORONHA,RESIDING AT RAMYA KACHERI WARD,KOLLAM-13. BY ADVS. SRI.R.S.KALKURA SRI.HARISH GOPINATH RESPONDENT(S): -------------------- 1. STATE OF KERALA,REPRESENTELD BY CHIEF SECRETARY GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT,TRIVANDRUM-01. 2. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR,COLLECTORATE, KOLLAM-13. R1 & R2 BY GOVT.PLEADER SMT.K.R.DEEPA THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 23/12/2010, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: svs P.N.RAVINDRAN, J. ------------------------------- W.P.(C).No.36723 of 2010 ------------------------------- Dated this the 23rd day of December, 2010. J U D G M E N T The land belonging to the petitioners, abutting National Highway 47 between Kollam Taluk Office Junction and Civil Station, was acquired by the State Government for the National Highway Authority of India, pursuant to a notification issued under section 4(1) of Land Acquisition Act on 17.9.1994. The grievance voiced by the petitioners is that, though possession of the land was taken over and a portion of the compensation was also paid, till date, the compensation payable to them has not been determined and the award has not been passed. The petitioners state that, though they had submitted Ext.P1 representation dated 1.2.2010 to the Chief Secretary, complaining about the delay in passing the award, till date orders have not been passed thereon. In this writ petition, the petitioners seek a direction to the respondents to pass an award determining the compensation, which they are entitled to receive in respect of their lands, which was acquired for widening the National Highway 2 W.P.(C).No.36723 of 2010 and to pay them the compensation which they are entitled to receive. 2. When the writ petition came up for hearing today, Smt.K.R.Deepa, the learned Government Pleader appearing for the respondents submitted on instructions that, part payment of the compensation has been made to almost all the land owners and that award will be passed, the amount of compensation determined and paid over to the petitioners within six weeks from today. In the light of the said submissions, I dispose of the writ petition, with a direction to the competent authority among the respondents, to pass an award determining the compensation to be paid to the petitioners, in respect of their lands, which were acquired for widening the National Highway between Kollam Taluk Office Junction and Civil Station, expeditiously and at any rate within six weeks from today. P.N.RAVINDRAN, Judge. ami/