AGRICULTURE

Potatoes get importance at last
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 27
The much maligned potatoes which till the other day were being thrown away by the growers and sold by retailers for Re. 1 a kg, suddenly acquired some importance yesterday, thanks to the start of the Navratras.

Potatoes were being sold at Rs. 5 a kg last evening by retailers all over the city. The demand for potatoes picks up during the Navratras with most of the devotees going in for fasts and avoiding food containing onions and garlic as well.

Prices of fruit in general and bananas in particular also witnessed a sudden rise with the latter selling at Rs. 15 to 18 a dozen. Cheekus are selling at Rs. 30 a kg compared to last week’s rate of Rs. 20 a kg.

As most of the Hindus strictly follow a vegetarian course during these days, the prices of vegetables, especially those which have just arrived in the market like the little round gourds known as “chappan kaddus” have also shot up by Rs. 3 to five a kg overnight. On arrival about a week ago, “chappan kaddu’ was Rs. 10 a kg but now it is quoted at Rs. 15 a kg. The trend is likely to last till the end of the navratras. Only onions which have few takers these days are steady at Rs. 8 a kg.

EDUCATION

Nearly 24 new centres were set up in the district in addition to the 314 centres of the previous year.

COURTS

Forum directs LIC to settle claim
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 27
The District Consumer Disputes and Redressal Forum has directed the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to pay an amount of Rs 50,000 along with interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from the date of repudiation by the LIC till the date of payment to the son of late Rameshwar Gopal Chopra.

The complainant, Mr Raju Chopra, stated before the forum that his father had taken a life insurance policy of Rs 50,000 for himself on February 23, 1996. The complainant stated that his father died on July 4, 1997. Mr Chopra stated that the LIC had repudiated the claim on the ground that the deceased had not disclosed the fact that he was suffering from diabetes at the time of taking the policy.

Raju Chopra pointed out, “diabetes is not such a serious ailment which must be brought to the notice of the insurance company as per a decision of the state commission.” The compliant alleged that the repudiation was illegal.

The corporation pleaded that the deceased had misled the LIC as he had concealed the material facts of his health at the time of taking the insurance policy.

The respondent further stated that there was no deficiency in services as the corporation repudiated the claim immediately after lodging the claim.

The forum stated, “The state commission had clearly laid down suppression of diabetes is not such that concealment therefore will vitiate the contract of insurance”. The forum observed that the corporation was not justified in repudiating the claim, simply because the deceased had not disclosed that he was suffering from diabetes at the time of taking the policy.

The forum further stated that it was not even the case that there was some relation between the cause of death and the alleged disease. The forum held that the repudiation of the claim was not valid and accordingly the forum directed the LIC to make the payment.