In Brief
In a batch of civil appeals concerning land acquired for the Telugu Ganga/Somashila Project, the appellants sought enhancement of compensation for pomegranate trees from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 3,000 per tree. The High Court had dismissed the claims due to unexplained delay. The Supreme Court held that where claimants are denied statutory benefits during the delay period, the Court should take a lenient view in condoning the delay. Following the rate established in an earlier decision for the same project, the Court fixed compensation at Rs. 3,000 per tree, but denied statutory benefits for the entire period of delay."
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