DJB to pay 22,000 as damages for not reading meter (Times of India 19 June 2012)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Jal Board has been ordered by a consumer forum to pay Rs 22,000 as damages for not reading a new meter installed with the result that the bills were generated on "average basis" for long periods of time since 2003. The Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (southwest) ordered that Rs 10,000 of the amount will go to the State Consumer Welfare Fund and the rest to the complainant as compensation.
Anil Kumar Juneja of Badarpur got a new meter installed in 2003. The connection was in the name of his deceased father. Since the installation, he alleged, no official from DJB visited the premises to take readings and bills were generated on "average basis." Their excuse was that the "meter is stopped" or the "premises were found locked." Juneja complained several times and things would go back to normal with meter readers visiting for a few months and then disappearing again. Juneja complained to DJB in 2008, and for the next two years before going to court. He, however, had filed the case against one particular meter-reader, but DJB appeared on its employee's behalf. The "remaining credit" with DJB by end of 2010 was Rs 35.

In its defence, DJB said the complainant is not a registered customer as the connection is in his father's name - an argument the forum, with Narendra Kumar as president, dismissed. DJB also denied having received any complaint from Juneja. Directing the complainant to "fully cooperate" with officials, the bench said, "We have found that the allegations made by the complainant are justified and the OP have failed to redress his grievances despite having been told since 2004 ..."