Maharashtra Commission Orders Solar Pump Installation for Farmer After 7-Year Wait
A Nagpur consumer commission mandates MSEDCL to install a solar pump for a farmer within 60 days, following a prolonged delay.
Maharashtra consumer commission orders MSEDCL to install a solar pump for a farmer after a seven-year delay.
The commission awarded the farmer Rs 35,000 for mental harassment and litigation costs.
The farmer's claim for crop-loss damages was rejected due to lack of supporting evidence.
In a significant ruling, the Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Nagpur has ordered the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to install a solar agricultural pump for a 69-year-old farmer within 60 days. This decision comes after the farmer faced a seven-year delay in receiving the promised connection, despite having paid the requisite deposit in July 2019.
The commission found that MSEDCL had failed to provide the farmer with the solar pump connection, which he had applied for to support his 1.83-hectare farm in Mauza Dundakhairi. The farmer had deposited Rs 16,560 following a demand note from MSEDCL, but despite repeated follow-ups and even a legal notice in January 2021, the installation was never completed. Frustrated, he filed a complaint with the consumer commission in February 2021.
In its ruling on October 22, the commission held MSEDCL accountable for deficiency in service, stating that the utility had not only failed to deliver the promised service but also caused undue mental stress to the farmer. The commission ordered MSEDCL to pay Rs 35,000 to the farmer for mental harassment and litigation costs. Additionally, it mandated that the solar pump be installed without any further charges beyond the initial deposit.
The commission's decision also highlighted inconsistencies in MSEDCL's claims regarding the farmer's alleged withdrawal from the solar scheme. While MSEDCL argued that the farmer had opted out in December 2019, the commission noted that the utility had continued processing his application, including conducting a site inspection in September 2020. This contradicted MSEDCL's assertion and reinforced the commission's findings of service deficiency.
Looking ahead, MSEDCL is required to comply with the commission's order within the stipulated 60 days. Failure to do so will result in the imposition of annual interest on the compensation amount. However, the commission rejected the farmer's claim for Rs 24.93 lakh in damages related to crop loss, citing insufficient evidence to support his assertions that the lack of power connection directly caused his crops to fail.
