High Court Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka Power Corporation vs Shivaram Ramachandra Dhundi on 24 July, 2009

Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka Power Corporation vs Shivaram Ramachandra Dhundi on 24 July, 2009
Author: Manjula Chellur B.V.Nagarathna
(BY SRIIRAO VAS'SC3fi',iA'II'_ES, ADV.)

AN

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
CIRCUIT BENCH AT DHARWAD

DATED TI-IIS THE 24TH DAY or JULY, 2¢e9
PRESENT I   I

THE I-ION'BLE MRS. JUSTICE MANJIILA  

THE I-ION'BLE MRS. JUSTICE"B.V.NA(3%ARA'fI-fI€A"~ _

MFA NO.11I43I8/ZOOS-{IIIACI 

BETWEEN:

THE KARNATAK_t>,..15owIEiIé,I CICRIDIQFQATION
No.82,T.sH_AKT1:;9HAvATN;*«A'_;E._I ' 
RACE co1;JR_sE "ROAD,_.._ ;V   

BAN 550901 A 
REF BY {Ts C}_~I1'E_F' "E1'~IGINEER.
< I ~ *    ~ ...APPELLANT

...........m--»......... ..g....-

sEH'1v'A?R;AM RAMACHANDRA DI-IUNDI

  SATQDDI, KATTIGE TALUK,
. "VYELI;;g'\PIUR, UTTAR KANNADA
 KARNTAKA 581 359

SVIQAEJCIAL LAND ACQUISITION OFFICER

 KALI NADI PROJECT, DANDELI
 .fU'I'TAR KANNADA

KARNATAKA 581 325 V
...RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI.M.V.\/EDHACHALA, ADV. FOR R1
SRI.K.B.ADHYAPAK, AGA FOR R2)

THIS MFA Is FILED U/S 54(1) OF LA.f=–AcT
AGAINST THE JUDGMENT AND “AW}_’tRD

DATED:23/02/2006 PASSED IN LAC No.5A23)”I99A§~–

THE FILE OF THE CIVIL JUDGE (SR.1DjN)’-fsIRSI:,”
PARTLY ALLOWING THE

ENHANCED COMPENSATION.

THIS MFA COMI1\EG”Q’N.r..FORv- A:>MI’ssIj0AN,rrTHIs

DAY, MANJULA cHELLU1é’g;JVV DELIVEREIQ THE
FOLLOWING: ‘ E

NNNN I30} T

4’_appe’ai.V” of judgment and award

passed b)VIN4’t1″1€” Court in LAC No.62 / 1994 on

– Igtherne Civil rJudge”(Sr. Dn.), Sirsi dated 23.02.2006.

‘A 2., undisputed facts in this appeal are that

‘4.___”-».1ands”b_e1aring Survey No.21/2 measuring 1 acre and
No.22 measuring 2 acres 21 guntas of Kattige

__Vi11age, Yeilapur Taiuk belonging to respondent No.1

herein carne to be acquired for the Kali Hydro Electric
Project, by notification dated 24.01.1993, under Section

4 (1) of the Land Acquisition Act (for short ‘the

Land Acquisition Officer determined the

at Rs.46,709–0O and as.1o,io,o74–o0ceifiaagebtiyeiy A

including other statutory benefits atfithe time

award under Section 11 of

3. Aggrieved by of
compensation, the * if I — A if if 1′ ‘ici3″V:_Q.iJi”‘.:I”<7.1V1€1ent– claimant
approached the presenting an

application ' 18 of the Act. Before the

References..Court,_ the riiatter was contested. Additional

evidence came"to_'p_e brought on record in support of his

' coiiteiition with regard to inadequate and

disproporti'on'ate compensation when compared to the

actual tfacts i.e., the nature of trees, age of the trees,

A nurnber of trees and so also the yield from different

A kinds of trees depending upon their age.

4. The iearned Judge after giving opportunity to

both the parties and upon Considering the evidence,

both the oral and documentary evidence
quantum of compensation is less as theV__rn’arket’ _p

assessed by the LAO was

properties in question.

5. On perusa} of the iit’isiV:neticied at the
time of passing award, the fci11QW_ing_ amounts were

awarded by the Speci-ai of Survey

acriewef land of the first

respondent: g

* _a. iaéiiue of ian’d'”+V Saniba

_ 13,500–00
ifi-1_,:’5,0’0 + 2,000)

Value .Efstructure 0,021–oo

bf jungle trees —

0 .nii,o;~ifi

~v\r/alue of fruit bearing trees 16,810–O0

Total 30,331-00

In respect of Survey No.22 measuring 2 acres 21

guntas of land of the first respondent:

Rs… it ”

compound Wall, etc
(28,145 + 785) ‘

c. Value of jungle trees <2'

Value of land _ —

Value of structure + – .. _ V’ ~..

d. Value of fruit bearing trees 2 V

Total W.l:*i’6,S5,892–00

6. Before the’..iRefere–n’c-e; lVC0.urt, Vth’e”iclaimant
relied upon the judgment Court dated
11.01.2002 to arrive at the
decision of be granted to the claimants.
In the referred ca.s’eAipa}–so;;.iithe lands were acquired for the

lp”u.rpos”e’A Kali Hydro Electric Project and this

»lC’o.u_rt the price of arecanut trees during the

Rs.3,400/- per quintal. The yield of 4

kgsl ‘tree was fixed. After deducting 50% of

» cultivation cost multiplier 10 was applied. Based on the

‘ said judgment of the I-Ion’ble High Court, the Reference

Court was of the opinion the value towards the

acquisition of arecanut trees has to be re–determined

depending upon the age of the trees.

7. The Reference Court based K

respect of Survey No.22 and reuspeict-..of–

No.21 /2, documents referred t’o_i’as

Evaluation of Horticuituraiiiffreesgg of “t}ie’i’:Suhmerging
Areas signed by iiorticuiture
Officer concerned, arrivevd statement
of a.recar11_1t.§ trees. As
per of arecanut and
coconut E3urvey No.22 were 1,943 and
in respei/{Of 2, there were only 67

arvecanut trees”.-e.VV___’_If1f1-£3 rest were of other fruit bearing

‘trees–v1ike:’«Vrriacngo, guava, jack fruit, etc. Ex.P2 and

EXP3 refer the nature of trees, number of tress, age

of theme and also the kind of yield derived from the

A trees. Based on this report, the iearned Judge

réeiying upon judgment of High Court in MFA

No.1084/2001, valued the arecanut trees in respect of

Survey No.22 which included 18 and 2 years.V’ro_lid._Vat

Rs.2,S6,224/–. After deducting 50% towards:’_:th’e§:;~ds§i::_of« _

maintenance and cultivation, theyield per”tree at:4– ”= ‘V

was arrived at Rs.1,28,112/–. He

10 depending upon the ofidthie trees.”

Based on this capitalizationVi:’n1et.hod.4i vfilue was
arrived at Rs.12,81,l4i2i5.;’-hinfixsvou.il”a,rA:i,Aas_1884 arecanut
trees concer_ne:d.v.._ No.21/ 2, the
learned Jiqdge._ which included
18 /–. After deducting
500/0 Vmaientenance, cultivation, the

yield per acre at .4 tree arrived at Rs.4,556–0O/ .

i He” of 10 depending upon the age of

the trees. Based on this capitalization

rn”e.tho._fd,’ value was arrived at Rs.45_,560–O0/– in so

V far as\57 arecanut trees concerned.

8. Then coming to coconut trees in respect of

Survey No.22, they being 59 in number, the yielqitper

tree was taken at 100 at the rate of Rs.4/

which comes to Rs.23,600/–.__….pSimil–ar’Iy;.:’_’:E3C)’i/q”_was”

deducted towards cost of cult:ivpati_oin’;V “After

multiplier 10, by capitalisation method,l’the._j’va1.uationVC

arrived at was Rs.1,1;.8,000 coconut trees were
found in respect of /2, hence the

compensation

9. nrelgarcfito Evaluation of other fruit
bearing “the arguments of both the
Counsel’ reliance on Supreme Court

jutfigrneiat, theV.Vle_arned Judge held that there was

‘ Vimaterivali tohishow from the exhibit relied upon by the

Srespondeyntabefore the Reference Court that there were

other Vufruit bearing trees. Therefore, he was of the

A .o:p’i’r_1ion that the Special LAO was justified in awarding.

‘compensation of Rs.16,810–OO in respect of Survey

No.21/2 and Rs.6,16,564–00 in respect of Survey No.22.

So far as the jungle trees, in respect of Survey

and 22, he awarded Rs.2,000/– and

respectively. The total compensstion t1’ie«.

Reference Court was Rs.20,64,6:1_4~QOA..éirid..R’s.’6?i;’39.iA=’QQA

in the following manner’i_a.s agairistp awgrd off»

Rs.6,55,892–00 and Rs.3O,33TI=».t)’0V._»in fespeet Survey

Nos.22 and 21/ 2 resptectixrelffg Special LAO in

addition to statutory””be1iefit’s..j:’iri iéicoioriciance with the

Land Acq;;i’sitioii_ Act’. _dete{ii’s Vaswtiollowsz

In

Rs.

Value” ~.of”aLre’canut’ trees

12,81,120–O0

P 3-‘

of c’oc.o_1_1__ut trees

01,18,000~00

.. Vsaiuieéviof fruit yielding trees

2’ LJ

06,16,564~00

structure + pagara +
comJg§11nd wall

00,28,930~00

V-alueofjungie trees

0O,20,000~0O

Total

20,64,614–()()

13″‘

‘: / ~V -.

‘ . “In”1’espect of Survey No.21/2:

>

10

Rs.

Value of arecanut trees 45,560–OO

Value of fruit yielding trees 16v,V.é3E_'(}5.()O

Value of structure

.4*”.°°E°*””‘

Value ofjungle trees ‘

Total ” A * 1370? ‘ a

Award ofSy. No.22 _ A:’Rsl’2V_(A.),64»,.>6v_T.:;4400tv»T”–~.n “«,

Award of Sy. No.21/ 2 Rs..OO..V_64,i§.9 ‘
Grand rota;-.__ ~lt;;;fgsf._’2;1,29,’OOs’é00

10. Aggrieved has come

up in this :_”ap};rea} “<:o1'3'1t'e"'nc:.1'ir1_Vg"f'that there was no

justificatiorl Court to award
compensaitigjnv. in respect of both
/2 as stated above and the
stressed upon the fact that when all
trees were valued at Rs.6,16,564–OO

in respect of Survey Nos.22 and 21/2

«rV"t-eesgaectively, there were no necessity for separately

.-5"'

ll

assessing the loss by capitalization method towards

arecanut and coconut trees.

11. As against this, the learned. it

appearing for the c1aimants–fiirst

that the Reference Court was justified in tclassifyin}g.the”~ao

fruit bearing trees dependingiiovupon n’ature of the
crops i.e., commercial’f’and1 The
yield from a co.cvonut.~Vt~re.e’. in terms of
money such as mango,
to interfere with

the opinion of” it ‘ l?_efe.re’nc’e Court.

. .. 12. other contention of the learned Counsel

for the’beneficiary§appellant is the very number of trees

and EXP3 is disproportionate to the

actua1fn1.easurement of land because 1960 and 76 trees

..co_.uld*n.ot be grown, in 2 acres 21 guntas of land and in

acre of land in respect of Survey Nos.22 and 21/2

“respectively. According to him, depending upon the

12

strength and number of the trees, the yield will be more.

If more trees are planted in a small area, there _vr.i_lle.not

be healthy growth of the tree, thereby it _

yield as well.

13. Having these argurne’nts–_in
proceeded to consider the””s:eeond “‘c.on’tenti.enHof the

appellant first. At has there been any

challenge with regard_’i’toV of either
arecanut treesflovr—.other fruit bearing
trees. What *i.s;”‘contend’eid .:is”asV”‘there are more than the
standard trees 2 acres 21 guntas of land
in respeuctéof ‘Nyo}22 and 1 acre of land in respect

of No.”12–Vl[_2H_,ythe yield cannot be as assessed by

‘ ,:the.yReferevnce_ Court. But the basis for the Reference

.’Co’urt to-Warrive at the value of arecanut and coconut

trees the earlier judgment of the Division Bench of

Court as stated above. It is not in dispute that

‘Evaluation arrived at by said judgment of this Court was

either modified or reduced by the Supreme Court or in a

later judgment of this High Court. In that vie’w.,:bf_t’the

matter, we are not persuaded to take a
In fact, if We consider the cost:tof-yieldhtrorri,’ar’e.cant1tuu
and coconut trees, the Court

consideration, the total terms-._o’f_,

selling leaves and Other parishcfujCoconut’*tor”Viarecanut
trees. The valuation statistics of
the year in the absence
of any that in this part of
the coconut tree or arecanut
tree vtasvfiless determined by the Reference

Court, 3 at ut11its’st’ag.e, rkthen no material is placed, this

of the beneficiary cannot be accepted, since

:as__ the other benefits from other parts of

coconut arecanut trees was not at ail taken into

‘ A. c,o_nsid”eration.

14

14. Then coming to the valuation of

Rs.6,16,564—O0 and Rs.16,810–OO in respect of Survey

Nos.22 and 21/ 2 respectively fixed by the

being confirmed by the Reference Court,

force in the arguments of the appellants. .;IniV:re_spe’c<'t cf

Survey No.22, the total nugmber:4'~a_f1'trees

guntas are 1960. If 1943 aateeanut an_ci'- trees'

are deducted, the ba1ance_."c5i_tiégggwpuidiHbe""17. The
Value of Rs.6,16,564-O01:_Visv"_'1'r§Vr prs11_ii9;5t;}1y':rees and the

average value 1 RS314/-. Once

separate iva1u»ati0f1–is41'1n'ade .fc5r arecanut and coconut
trees, the valueci"..bther_if1<1;[it bearing trees has to be for

17 trees and r:11'ot~the."en.tire 1960. At the rate of Rs.314~~

. 'per5"~ti'ee,A~.the cost of 17 other fruit bearing trees

A In"respect of Survey No.21/ 2, the total number of

:_"tree_s acre of land are 76. If 67 arecanut trees are
e.__1dedt,:cted, the balance of trees is 9. The value of

'"Rs.16,810-00 is for 76 trees and the average value of

; 17 ot11er.fruit bearing trees 5,347-00

15

one tree would be at Rs.221/–. Once separate valtration

is made for arecanut trees, the vaiue of ot–he–r”«fr’L1§t

bearing trees has to be for 9 trees and not

At the rate of Rs.221–O0 per tre’e,’-«the-tuttfof 2

other fruit bearing trees would

as other amounts awarded toxfifards structure dandjungle V’

trees, we do not find good’ to triterfere at this
stage. So also regardthg.”st’a’ttit:oIfrf:_:Vhegécfits awarded by
the Reference reason to modify
or interfere; is
entitled in respect of Survey

No.22]. . A

VFor 188-{PAr.e’ca11uVt”‘trees 12,81,120–OO
59 c0conL1t.. trees 01,18,000–0O

hp p.Str1i_c,t’u~rVes’ 28,93o–oo
X Ju.ng1Z-$7 trees 2o,ooo-oo
‘ Total 14,53,397–oo

3 15. In respect of Survey No.21/2:

16

For 67 Arecanut trees 45,56O~VO-O_
9 other fruit bearing trees

Structures
Jungle trees

Total t

Accordingly, the ap9peia1~.._isA.al1_oWeci*_;invwjjarit by”

reducing the quar1tun;_..__ _A’~¢f”V-»_§;omAi5er1sation to
Rs.14,53,397-O0 froth in respect of
Survey 1\Iflo.224-and No.21/2 , the
compensatiorf to Rs.49,57 1 -00 from
Rs.64339″1t-oQv:.”.:v benefits allowed by

the Reference the same.

_._§’Having V’r’egard’:to the fact that the acquisition

:pi*o.c¥eegi1ngs:r11ade in the year 1991, 1992 and 1993, the

and the 2nd respondent State are

-V directedttovtieposit the compensation amount as stated

‘2..f”aboveA together with other statutory benefits which are

‘ by the Special LAO confirmed by the Reference

I7

Court to be deposited within three months from the date

of receipt of copy of this order.

Parties to bear their own cost.

r§esgti

S f. E
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