TIRUCHY: Thanjavur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission on Tuesday ordered the private insurance firm to disburse Rs 8.62 lakh to as many as 17 farmers who were refused claims even for over four years.
According to sources, due to the monsoon failure in 2016-17, the farmers lost their samba crops and among them, as many as 17 farmers from Alakudi, Vinmangalam, and Aimbathumel Nagaram were denied compensation despite insuring their crops. Subsequently, the particular farmers approached the Collector and even sent their petitions to the then Chief Minister but they were denied compensation.
The dejected farmers filed a petition with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in 2019 and prayed for compensation from the private insurance firm.
The case was in progress and the commission asked the farmers to file individual petitions and so they did.
Subsequently, all the farmers including Bhrathi, Karpagavalli, Anbalagan, Sumathi, Saravanan, Sangeetha, Gunasekaran, Sathish, Ganesan and Anbumani were asked for cross-examination, and on Tuesday, the commission ordered the private insurance firm -- New India Assurance Insurance firm for an inquiry and the firm has accepted the crop failure and was ready for disbursing the claims.
On September 27, the Commission asked the insurance firm to credit the amount to the account of the individual farmer.
Based on the order, on Tuesday, the insurance firm credited the amount of Rs 8.62 lakh to the account of all 17 farmers.