acre, and that no evidence is adduced to substantiate such claim. In this case, it is to be noticed that for the single crop wet lands covered by same award in Pamulapadu and other adjoining villages, by a common award, the Land Acquisition Officer has fixed the compensation at the rate of Rs.8,000/- per acre and on reference, it was enhanced to Rs.12,000/- per acre. When the matters were carried to this Court, a Division Bench of this Court has enhanced the compensation to Rs.32,400/- and several batches of cases were disposed of by fixing the compensation at the rate of Rs.32,400/-. So far as the present case is concerned, it is to be noticed that the land acquired is Ac.0-31 cents of dry land, whereas in earlier cases, the lands acquired were wet lands. Though it is claimed by the claimant that even for dry lands, the land value was Rs.40,000/- per acre at relevant point of time, in the absence of any evidence on record with regard to such claim, it is not possible to accept the same so as to fix the compensation at the rate of Rs.40,000/- per acre. However, during the course of hearing, it is brought to our notice that for same purpose, the lands in the adjoining villages were acquired and for the wet lands, the compensation was fixed at the rate of Rs.32,400/- by this Court in A.S.No.638 of 2002. As Rs.32,400/- was fixed as compensation for wet lands in the neighbouring villages, and as the land of appellant is dry land, we deem it appropriate to enhance the compensation to Rs.15,000/- per acre for the land of claimant. For the aforesaid reasons, the appeal is allowed in part and the compensation payable to the appellant/claimant for Ac.0.31 cents of dry land is fixed at the rate of Rs.15,000/- per acre. It is needless to observe that the appellant is entitled for all statutory benefits. No order as to costs.
