New Delhi (Agency): The Thane Additional District Consumer Redressal Commission in Maharashtra has ruled against Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL), ordering the company to pay Rs 15,000 to Ashok Desai. Desai, a resident of Vashi in Navi Mumbai, had initially deposited Rs 6,135 for a piped gas connection. Despite accepting the application and deposit, MGL failed to provide the connection and instead asked Desai to get a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) from his neighbor.
The Commission’s order states that it was the company’s responsibility to secure the NOC, not Desai’s. Desai had sought compensation of Rs 1.65 lakh from MGL after his complaints to the company’s internal ombudsman, known as “Lokayukta,” and subsequent legal notices went unanswered.
Commission President Ravindra Nagar and members Gauri M Kapse and Shital A Petkar noted that since MGL had accepted Desai’s deposit and application, the task of obtaining the NOC rested “solely on the respondent (MGL).” They criticized MGL’s request for the customer to get the NOC as revealing a “deficient, careless and negligent approach.”
“Hence the complainant was deprived of his gas connection for no mistake of his and definitely has suffered mental and physical sufferings,” the Commission declared. They ordered MGL to pay Rs 15,000 to Desai, which includes Rs 10,000 for “mental and physical sufferings.”
This case underlines the accountability companies hold in providing essential services to consumers. MGL’s failure to deliver on its commitment and the subsequent legal action highlights the importance of consumer rights and corporate responsibility. Whether this case will serve as a precedent for similar situations in the future is yet to be seen.