08 August 1996
Supreme Court
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STATE OF BIHAR Vs RATAN LAL SAHU & ORS. ETC.

Bench: RAMASWAMY,K.
Case number: C.A. No.-010669-010670 / 1996
Diary number: 13662 / 1994
Advocates: Vs DEBA PRASAD MUKHERJEE


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PETITIONER: STATE OF BIHAR

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: RATAN LAL SABU & VS. ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT:       08/08/1996

BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. BENCH: RAMASWAMY, K. G.B. PATTANAIK (J)

CITATION:  1996 SCALE  (6)83

ACT:

HEADNOTE:

JUDGMENT:                 THE 8TH DAY OF AUGUST, 1996 Present:           Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.Ramaswamy           Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.B. Pattanaik H.Agarwal, Sr. Adv. R.P.Singh and B.B.Singh, Advs. with him for the appellant D.Mukherjee and Sanjay Ghosh, Advs. for the Respondents                          O R D E R The following Order of the Court was delivered: State of Bihar V. Ratan Lal Sabu Ors. etc.                          O R D E R      Leave granted.      We have heard learned counsel on both sides.      Notification under Section 4(1) of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894  (1 of  1894) (for short, the ’Act’) was published on  June   14,  1972  acquiring  20.40  acres  of  land  for construction of  Getalsud Dam  in Ranchi  District of  bihar State. The  Land Acquisition  Officer  in  his  award  under Section 11 dated November 16,1977 granted total compensation of  Rs.1,59,505.33.  On  reference,  the  Subordinate  Judge Ranchi awarded  compensation Rs.  13,000/- per acre; for the tank and  well, he  granted a  sum of Rs.1,69,830/-. He also awarded additional  amount under Section 23(1-A) of the Act. Dissatisfied therewith, the appeal and carried the matter in appeals. The  High Court in the impugned judgment and decree in Original  Decree Nos.  108 and  109 of 1987 dated January 10, 1994  confirmed the  award and  decree of  the reference Court. Thus, these appeal by special leave.      We have gone through the judgment of the High Court and the reference  Court. The  learned Judge has not referred to the  correct   principles  of   law   in   determining   the compensation. It  is an admitted position that the reference Court has  relied upon  an earlier  award in  respect  of  a neighbouring village determining the compensation of land in

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Rs. 10,000/-  per acre.  We cannot  leave  any  material  on record, nor  has it  discussed in either judgments the basis or reliance  as regards  the relevant value of the land etc. Under those  circumstances, relying  on that judgment per se may not  be wholly  correct. It is not in dispute that these are Class  I wet  crop lands.  The Land  Acquisition Officer awarded the  compensation for Class I lands @ Rs.2,226/- and proportionately decreased  the value  as regards the quality of the  other lands.  We take  all the  20 acres  of land as Class I  land since  there  is  no  acceptable  material  as regards the quality of the land.      Under these  circumstances, taking  the totality of the facts and  circumstances,  we  think  that  the  appropriate market value  would be  Rs. 6,000/-  per  acre.  It  is  now settled law  that when the water is being used from the tank and the  well for cultivation of the land, no separate value could be  granted towards  the tank and the well. This Court elaborately considered this aspect of the matter in the case of O.  Janardhan Reddy  & Ors.  vs. Spl. Dy. Collector. L.A. Unit -  IV, LMD. Karimnagar, A.P. & Ors. [(1994) 6 SCC 456]. Accordingly, we  hold that  the respondents are not entitled to the separate value of Rs. 1,69,890/- towards the value of the tank  and the  well. Since the award of the Collector is of November  16, 1977,  the grant  of the  additional amount under Section  23(1-A) is  clearly illegal. Accordingly, the additional amount  under Section  23(1-A) for  a sum  of Rs. 1,16,000/- also stands set aside.      The  claimants   are  entitled  to  the  interest  from 1.1.1966, the  date on  which the possession was taken for a period of  one year  @ 9%  and thereafter @ 15% till date of deposit on the enhanced compensation. The claimants are also entitled to the solatium at 30% on the enhanced compensation till date of deposit. The claimants are also entitled to the additional amount  @ Rs.  12% on  the market  value from the date of  publication of  notification under  Section 4(1) to the date  of award  of the  Collector or  from the  date  of taking possession of the land, whichever is earlier.      The  appeals   are  accordingly  allowed,  but  in  the circumstances                 without                 costs.