Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 16: On account of a mistake on the part of the staff of Mangaluru Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd (Mescom), power supply to a house had been severed. Now, Dakshina Kannada District Consumer Grievances Redressal Forum has ordered Mescom to pay compensation towards the food that was spoiled in the refrigerator.

Kabir Ullal from Ullal Millat Nagar had complained to the forum seeking to compensate him towards affecting power cut wrongly even though he was prompt in bill payment. The forum found that the Mescom staff had cut power supply to the house when the members were not at home. After hearing both the sides, the forum ordered Mescom officials to pay a compensation of Rs 4,000 towards the cost of spoilt food, and Rs 5,000 towards court costs.

Kabir told the media representatives that he had, on June 12, 2018, received a Mescom bill of Rs 1,787. The bill was payable before June 27, and he paid it on June 14, 2018, he said. "After that I left with wife and children to stay with the family of my in-laws. In expectation of the visit by some relatives, before going, I had stored fish, mutton, vegetables, ice cream and other items in the fridge for use after returning. When we came back on June 19, 2018, the fridge was stinking and all the items kept inside the fridge had gone bad," he explained.

Kabir found that the fuse of his house was removed and power supply was severed. He contacted a lineman and found that the fuse was removed at the instance of higher officials. He went to his lawyers and complained to the forum. He said that the commission has directed the Mescom Ullal sub division's assistant executive engineer and Attavar Mescom division-1 executive engineer to pay compensation and cost of the suit to him.

President of the forum, Prakash K and members, Lavanya M Rai and Lingaraju P V have ordered Mescom officials to jointly pay the said sum within a month.