Ludhiana, January 13
Bankers and the unwitting defaulters could not have asked for a better opportunity to settle cases than the first-ever special state-level Lok Adalat held here today, where 800 pre-litigative cases worth crores of rupees were settled on the spot, without any litigation fee or legal hassles.
The bankers provided relief amounting 50-75 per cent of the total interest, as it helped them recover amount from dead accounts, without following the lengthy and tedious route of Debt Recovery Tribunal or civil courts. It was a pleasant surprise for KR Industries and sister concerns, Jalandhar, that the management of the Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) was ready to settle for just Rs 46 lakh against the pending repayment worth Rs 77 lakh. The bank also settled for Rs 31 lakh against an amount of Rs 42 lakh in the case of JS Sports, a Jalandhar-based football manufacturing firm, which had lost heavily in exports. Krishan Lal and sister concerns of Ludhiana also agreed, after prolonged negotiations, to pay Rs 65 lakh in instalments against an amount of Rs 77 lakh.
Insiders said that these kind of Lok Adalats, especially to settle pre-litigative bank cases, were being held at the initiative of Justice H.S. Bedi, Chairman, State Legal Services Authority, Chandigarh, who had called the AGMs of all nationalised banks to settle those cases where borrowers were prepared to repay the loans, but required genuine relief. Now the authorities plan to hold such adalats every quarter of a year in different parts of the state. A weekly Lok Adalat at each district headquarter has been started.
Expressing satisfaction over the achievements of Lok Adalat, Mr P.K. Sharma, GM, (Fields), OBC, said: ‘‘Out of 791 total cases taken up today, 567 were of our bank. A majority of cases involved amount worth more than Rs 5 lakh amounting to Rs 24.86 crore. Out of these, more than 80 per cent cases have been settled to the satisfaction of both parties. We are always ready to provide relief to the borrower, provided they are not wilful defaulters.’’
Some amusing cases were entertained. Mr Amrik Singh of Sahnewal, an illiterate labourer, who had taken a loan of Rs 6,000 from the OBC during the early eighties, looked confused. He said he had already paid the amount long ago except Rs 1500, when he was informed that the government had waived the amount. However, he was surprised yesterday when he got summons asking to pay Rs 10,000.
He said ‘‘ No one asked me to pay the amount during all these years and now I am asked to pay such an heavy amount.’’ His case was settled for Rs 6000, to be paid in instalments. He, however, lamented that he would have to take loan from a landlord and work as a contract labourer.
Mr V.B. Handa, Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, presided over the proceedings in association with Mr H.P.S. Mahal, Member Secretary, Punjab State Legal Services Authority.
