Lack of scheme awareness not fault of claimant, rules Chhattisgarh consumer court in Rs 4 lakh payout order

RAIPUR: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the District Cooperative Union and Forest Produce Committee to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the family of a tendupatta collector who died in an accident, citing deficiency in service and overturning an earlier decision by the District Consumer Commission, Rajnandgaon.

The state commission held that the claimant’s lack of awareness was reasonable.The claim was filed by Santoshi Patel, wife of the deceased Komal Patel, a resident of Gopaltola, Salhewara in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan district. Komal was a registered collector with the Forest Produce Committee, Salhewara, from 2019 to 2021. He died of electrocution on October 11, 2021.Under the Shaheed Mahendra Karma Tendupatta Collector Social Security Scheme, the nominee is entitled to Rs 2 lakh for natural death and an additional Rs 2 lakh for accidental death.

However, Santoshi’s claim, submitted on July 2, 2022, was rejected by the committee on grounds of delay, stating it exceeded the 90-day limit.Challenging the decision, Santoshi approached the District Consumer Commission, which upheld the committee’s stance. However, on appeal, the State Commission, led by Justice Gautam Chourdiya and Member Pramod Kumar Verma, found merit in her claim.The Commission noted that while the collector's remuneration card listed several insurance schemes—such as Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana, Atal Samooh Bima Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana—the Shaheed Mahendra Karma Scheme was not mentioned.

It held that the claimant’s lack of awareness was reasonable.After examining the scheme details, the bench ruled that Santoshi was eligible for Rs 4 lakh under the accidental death provision. The respondents have been ordered to pay the amount within a month, along with 6% annual simple interest from the complaint filing date—October 6, 2023—till the date of payment.Additionally, Rs 20,000 has been awarded for mental agony, and Rs 10,000 towards legal costs.

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