Insurance firm told to pay 2.35 lakh to farmer for crop loss
Nirupa Vatyam | TNN | Apr 21, 2019, 13:34 IST
(Representative image)HYDERABAD: A district consumer forum directed the Agriculture Insurance Company of India (AIC India) to pay 2.35 lakh to a farmer who lost his crop during the drought. The farmer was rebutted by the insurance company for 'want of more information'. The Agriculture officer of Ranga Reddy district, meanwhile, was asked to pay an additional 20,000 as punitive damages for not responding to the farmers' problems despite serving notices.
K Eshwaraiah, the 67-year-old complainant, submitted that he is an agriculturist and owns about half acre land at Pomalpally village in Ranga Reddy district. Out of his vast experience in agri-cultivation, he said that he had decided to cultivate maize crop during 2014-15. To be on the safer side, he said that he had got it insured against untoward incidents and natural calamities, including the act of God, with Agriculture Insurance Company of India, which comes under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, by paying the requisite amount of 1,973.
He claimed that he had clearly mentioned the type of crop and the area used to cultivate the crop. To his misfortune, he said that he had to sustain a heavy loss of the yield due to severe drought in his village. The complainant said that despite making several requests, AIC India failed to compensate him and he was forced to file a complaint.
The representative of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India, meanwhile, in his written version submitted that Eshwaraiah's proposal form did not comply with the scheme provisions/requirements i.e. the crop sown certificate did not have the date of crop sown, which is a condition precedent as per the central government and cited it as the reason for not processing his claim.
During the trial, the bench noticed that AIC India made no efforts either directly or through the concerned Mandal Agricultural Officer to return or seek information about the incomplete application.
"The opposition party cannot shift its burden. It had an opportunity to return the application of the complainant at the instance for incomplete particulars which they haven't done. Having accepted the proposal now, they cannot turn around and contend innocence," said the bench.
K Eshwaraiah, the 67-year-old complainant, submitted that he is an agriculturist and owns about half acre land at Pomalpally village in Ranga Reddy district. Out of his vast experience in agri-cultivation, he said that he had decided to cultivate maize crop during 2014-15. To be on the safer side, he said that he had got it insured against untoward incidents and natural calamities, including the act of God, with Agriculture Insurance Company of India, which comes under the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, by paying the requisite amount of 1,973.
He claimed that he had clearly mentioned the type of crop and the area used to cultivate the crop. To his misfortune, he said that he had to sustain a heavy loss of the yield due to severe drought in his village. The complainant said that despite making several requests, AIC India failed to compensate him and he was forced to file a complaint.
The representative of the Agriculture Insurance Company of India, meanwhile, in his written version submitted that Eshwaraiah's proposal form did not comply with the scheme provisions/requirements i.e. the crop sown certificate did not have the date of crop sown, which is a condition precedent as per the central government and cited it as the reason for not processing his claim.
During the trial, the bench noticed that AIC India made no efforts either directly or through the concerned Mandal Agricultural Officer to return or seek information about the incomplete application.
"The opposition party cannot shift its burden. It had an opportunity to return the application of the complainant at the instance for incomplete particulars which they haven't done. Having accepted the proposal now, they cannot turn around and contend innocence," said the bench.
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