THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, July 10: Preparations are afoot for the 13th July National Lok Adalat here in the civil courts in Daltonganj.
In fact, this National Lok Adalat was first due on May 11 but for the Lok Sabha elections, it was shifted to July 13.
Principal district and sessions judge (PDJ) Niraj Kumar Srivastav today held a press briefing. He was accompanied by the secretary of DLSA Arpit Shrivastava.
The National Lok Adalat is a harbinger of hope in MACT (motor accident claim tribunal) cases.
PDJ has devised a new approach. It saves time and overcomes hurdles too.
According to the PDJ “Here our DLSA officials are in direct touch with the insurance companies. Our officials talk to them, apprise them of the cases of claims under the MACT. The insurance companies then spur its local advocates here to settle the claims.”
PDJ clarified that their men’s direct approach to the insurance company issues has in no way any dilution effect on the advocates here holding brief for the MACT cases rather it helps all the stakeholders in its own way.
PDJ referred to a case where an inflated claim was made out while the insurance company was just halving it and it was a deadlock to the settlement of the claim for long. However, it was settled after due deliberations.
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On being asked if the delay in settlement of the claim is due to the apathy of the police to which the PDJ said very firmly “No. Not at all.”
It’s the hitch over the volume of the claim. Claim is settled on a principled calculation. Very often claim is hiked unreasonably and the claimant is fed on false hope of getting it which never comes.
Sometimes claims remain unsettled for weeks and months just for interest accruing to them. It’s 9 per cent interest and the claimant finds it not a bad bargain for early settlement of the claim as delay in settlement means accruing to 9 per cent of interest.
MACT has no restriction for geographical boundaries. PDJ explained it in a very homely way saying “Look a Palamu district man meets with accident in UP. This Palamu man can claim either in UP or in Palamu but claiming here in Palamu, the man has to be a resident of this place.”
PDJ then referred to cases of family matters. It comes to the National Lok Adalat where reunion seals the chance of separating from each other.
Niraj Kumar Srivastav said “Palamu is no cosmopolitan place. Here nucleus family is rare, unlike Jamshedpur where it has too many.”
“If husband and wife quarrel, then here 20 people are on each side to bridge the gap. No one likes here to see family breaking up” reminded Srivastav.
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He said 15 to 20 cases of family matters come every month on average. Cases for old people’s maintenance do come but it’s never any more in counting but pretty nominal in figures.
PDJ cleared a perception that traffic challans go up when there is a Lok Adalat around. It is to add to the numbers for the pre-litigation cases
Some newsmen drove this point home that traffic police go hyperactive when Lok Adalat is around the corner. PDJ countered it saying traffic challans are the means to raise state revenue and big cities do it around the year. It’s not proper to attribute the rise of traffic challans to any coming Lok Adalat. However, the media persons knew it happens here most when there is any kind of Lok Adalat.
He then narrated how he recently rode a bike in Daltonganj in common man’s attire when a traffic cop halted him and asked him for his driving licence etc. He said he showed it.
He wore his helmet and so he passed undiscovered but not far when everyone realised who he was.
It carries a message. The message is if you ride a bike follow traffic rules. Wear helmet and have a licence to ride.
Secretary of DLSA Arpit Shrivastava informed that 13 benches are to function on 13th July in the National Lok Adalat.
Arpit Shrivastava further said, “We aim at 30,000 cases disposal this National Lok Adalat which if we succeed will be a couple of thousands of cases more than the immediate previous National Lok Adalat here.”
