( 1 ) WE dispose of by this common judgment and order three appeals from a common judgment and order of the learned Land Acquisition Judge, by which he disposed of three references from the awards of the Collector.

( 2 ) THE acquisition in these cases did not take place under Act I of 1894 butunder the West Bengal Act II of 1948 which is called the West Bengal (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1948.

( 3 ) HEREAFTER we shall refer to these Acts simply as Act I and Act II.

( 4 ) THE number of referring claims is quite large and is above 20. They are in three sets. The land was acquired under Act II in May, 1995. The area is upwards of three bighas. One bigha is 20 cottahs and 1 cottah is 720 sq. ft. The land was a part of a 10 bigha tract situated at 156 A, Manicktala Main Road, owned previously by a single common ancestor, namely, Kali Pada Barik, since deceased.

( 5 ) THE Collector made this award sometime in the year 1997 and thereafter the Land Acquisition Judge was approached on reference by the Bariks.

( 6 ) THE Collector's award was on the basis of about 50,000/- rupees compensation per cottah, but the Land Acquisition Judge, on the first hearing raise