Tardy work, solar plant firm told to refund Rs 1L

Chandigarh, January 17

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed a solar power plant company to refund Rs 1.1 lakh with interest at the rate of 9 per cent to a city resident for incomplete installation of a solar plant.

Eighty-two-year-old Gurpartap Singh Sahi, in his complaint through advocate Inderjit Kaushal, said he had paid Rs 3.05 lakh to Mahira Mohali for installation of 5kW solar plant at his house. But the company left the work incomplete despite his repeated requests. He said the Chandigarh Renewable Energy and Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST) also failed to check the company for supplying substandard equipment and not completing the work.

CREST said after receiving complaints and a subsequent inspection, it blacklisted the company. No one appeared from the company, so it was proceeded ex parte.

The commission said the act amounted to deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practice on part of the company. The complaint deserved to be partly allowed and the company was directed to refund Rs 1.1 lakh with interest to the complainant towards the left-out work.