The High Court has observed that two acquistion officers were responsible for the dealy in deciding the claims of displaced people in the Upper Krishna Project and wanted the Revenue Secretary to conduct an inquiry and fix the responsbility for not taking decision on the claims.
 Justice Ram Mohan Reddy passed this order while allowing a set of civil revision petitions filed by the Special Land Acquisition Officers of UKP, against Athani Civil Court’s order awarding 50 per cent enhancement of compensation for certain lands acquired for the UKP in Jamakhandi. They had also challenged the civil court’s orders calling for records in the applications of some other similar claimants.
While deciding the petitions, the Court observed that the acquisition officers working during 2004 had caused undue delay in considering some land owners’ applications for enhancement of compensation, forcing them to approach civil court. Due to this delay, the Government would have to pay an interest of 15 per cent on the amount payable, till the date it is finally decided, it observed. While saying that the officers’ conduct needed to be deprecated, the Court said that the officer responsible for undue delay, should be made to bear the liability caused on the government.
The Court ordered the Revenue Secretary to hold the inquiry to decide as to the officers’ liability to pay the amount towards the interest. The judge also said that it was hoped that land acquisition officers working in the State did not give room for unnecessary litigations.
The Court, however, allowed the petitions and set aside the Civil Court order as lacking jurisdiction.