MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, FEROZEPUR Vs. BHOLA RAM & ORS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS is an appeal received by transfer from Punjab State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission against order of District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Ferozepur (for short hereinafter to be referred as District Forum) dated 4.12.2003 in complaint case No. 465 of 2003, Bhola Ram v. Water Supply and Sewerage Division and Others.

(2.) BRIEFLY stated the case of the Complainant is that he has been paying sewerage connection bills to the OP and the sewerage cover on a sewerage hole in front of his house was missing and the septic tank in the street where the Complainant resides are without any cover. The sewerage thus remains blocked resulting into gathering of dirty water in the street as a result of which life of the Complainant and his family has become miserable. It is further stated that about a fortnight earlier than the filing of the complaint, while the Complainant was bringing his scooter out of his house for going to the market, he along with the scooter fell down in the sewerage hole, which resulted into injuries on his person and damage to the scooter and, hence, this complaint for installing covers on all the sewerage holes of Ferozepur City and to remove sewerage blockage. In the complaint, he has further prayed for a compensation amounting to Rs. 25,000 for the financial loss, mental agony and harassment and has also prayed for another Rs. 3,000 as costs of litigation.

(3.) THE version of OP Nos. 1 and 2 is that the Complainant is not a consumer qua them and he is only a consumer of OP No. 3. As per these OPs, they are doing only maintenance work on the basis of the funds released by OP No. 3. As per these OPs, all the manholes have proper covers and no complaint has been made or lodged by the residents of the area where the Complainant resides.