Karnataka - Mangalore   

Bank ordered to pay Rs. 1 lakh to farmer

MANGALORE: The Dakshina Kannada District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has asked the Nellur Kemraje Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Bank Ltd. in Sullia taluk to pay Rs. 1 lakh to a farmer towards his treatment in a hospital in Mangalore for heart ailment in 2008. It asked the bank to pay litigation cost of Rs. 2,000 to the farmer.

The bank had declined to honour the claim by the complainant Ramananda S. of Doddathota, Sullia taluk under the State government's Yashaswini Health Plan – an insurance scheme for farmers.

In another case, the forum has asked the Department of Posts to pay compensation of Rs. 2,232 and litigation cost of Rs. 1,000 to Ms. Electrnoc Care Centre, Car Street for having failed to deliver an electronic item to a consumer in Guangzou, China, through speed post.

It declined to increase the compensation to Rs. 29,986 because the sender had not disclosed the items being transhipped.

In the case of the farmer, his name did not figure in the list of beneficiaries of the scheme for the year as the bank had not processed Mr. Ramananda's application for renewal of its membership contending that he had not submitted the photographs along with the application.

The forum observed, “The opposite party (the bank) … should deal with the members in such a way that they should see that the benefit introduced by the government should reach to the poor agriculturist…”

The bank agreed that the farmer had paid the premium but contended it had sent a letter to him regarding the requirement to submit photos but bank did not show any document to support the claim.

The bank representative said it had intimated him that due to non-supply of photos his name was not included in the list of beneficiaries. “Again there is no material document to support the claim,” the forum said.

The forum said the bank should have maintained and produced the inward and outward register to substantiate claims but this was not done. “That itself shows that the above communication letters were after thoughts.”

The forum declined to accept that the bank had transferred the amount collected from the complainant to his account. “Even the challan receipt produced by the opposite party were after thoughts…,” the forum said.

The forum said the bank did not forward the farmer's application to Yashaswini Family Health Plan Limited Bangalore despite receiving the premium. Thus the bank had “deprived the benefit to the Complainant,” the forum concluded.

The farmer had spent Rs. 1.44 lakh but he was eligible for Rs. 1 lakh for single surgery.

The forum directed the bank represented by its chief executive officer to pay Rs. 1 lakh to the farmer along with interest at 12 per cent per annum from the date of complaint till the date of payment.

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