Farmer saves property after Lok Adalat settles loan issue

A 70-year old farmer from Batta village got a huge relief after his Rs 15 lakh-loan was slashed to Rs 2.25 lakh through mediation by a Lok Adalat held at Kaithal today.
Imratpal had taken a loan of Rs 1.7 lakh from State Bank of Patiala in 1997 to purchase a tractor by mortgaging his field. He repaid Rs 60,000 but became irregular with his payments and the debt went upto Rs 15 lakh, following which the bank prepared to attach his property, a release said.
However, after the Lok Adalat, led by President of District Legal Services Authority and District and Sessions Judge, Ritu Tagore, mediated between the bank and the farmer, both parties reached a compromise and Imratpal agreed to repay the balance amount of Rs 2.25 lakh.

The Lok Adalat was organised at Judicial Complex, Kaithal, under the Chairmanship of Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Justice N K Sanghi, as part of National Lok Adalat held across the country for ensuring speedy and final justice.
Meanwhile, in Gurgaon, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice S K Kaul inspected the Lok Adalat.
District and Sessions Judge of Gurgaon, Shekher Dhawan informed the Chief Justice that 16,787 cases have been settled by various courts in the state from September 1 till date.