Gas agency fined Rs 10,000 for delay in supplying cylinder
Sukhmeet Bhasin
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, April 26
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission recently ordered a gas agency to pay compensation to a consumer, serving as a warning to the agencies who delay in supplying cylinders to the customers.
The state commission has directed the GNDTP primary co-operative consumer store to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation to Vikram Kumar, resident of Thermal Colony, for delay in supply of domestic cylinders to the complainant.
Vikram had filed a complaint against the local Indane gas agency in Thermal Colony alleging that he had the LPG gas connection of this gas agency since 1991.
He said he had made the booking with the agency on February 26, 2011, but the agency had not supplied any refill of gas cylinder to him despite repeated requests. The agency ultimately supplied refill on April 11, 2011.
Later, the complainant sought information under the RTI Act from assistant registrar of co-operative society, Bathinda, regarding his LPG connection.
The agency supplied the information to the complainant and he was surprised to note that there were nine entries of booking and supply of LPG cylinders to the complainant w.e.f July 6, 2010 to June 14, 2011 and none of the entries tallied with the entries in the blue card of the complainant issued by the gas agency.
Countering the petition, the agency denied its consumer’s claim and stated that the complainant didn’t come to take the cylinder intentionally after booking it.
It was further averred that as and when the complainant came to the agency, he was given refill of LPG cylinder, as per rules.
While hearing the case, the bench concluded that they found it to be a case of violation of rule (vide Ex C-10 on the record). Under this rule, it is written that all LPG cylinders should be home delivered to consumers in their kitchens except in case of riots, curfew, strikes. Herein, the gas agency could not make out that it was case of curfew, riots or strike, the bench said.
Earlier the complainant had filed the complaint with the district consumer redressal commissioner, which fined the gas agency Rs 2,000.
Thereafter, he filed the complaint with the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. Upholding the decision, the state commission, in its verdict announced recently, enhanced the amount of the fine from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000.
