Finally, a farmer gets justice

Guntur: The District Consumer Forum of Guntur has delivered a path breaking judgment in favour of the tenant farmers regarding the gold loan waiver as announced by the State government. M S Rama Rao, a tenant farmer, filed a case in the Forum citing the reason of ‘deficiency of service by the Bank of Baroda.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Rao said that he was a native of Tubadu village and a tenant farmer of four acres, with a gold loan of Rs.90,000 from the local branch of Nadendla of Guntur District. But the banks classified the tenant farmers not according to the specifications listed by the government,

but labelled them as ‘self/others” and denied them the waiver, he alleged. Rao filed a complaint in the District Consumer Forum, Guntur and in the appeal, he narrated the deficiency of service. After enquiring thoroughly, the court adjudged the complaint in favour of the complainant, MS Ramarao.

The court ordered the opposing parties the Nadendla Branch’s senior manager and the Regional Manager of the Bank’s Vijayawada’s office. The court ordered them to pay Rs. 96, 000 towards expenses and another amount of Rs.12, 000 towards mental and physical stress. The Bank of Baroda was given six weeks time from the date of judgement and the day of the judgement was August 31.