T.N.E.B. vs Sivasankaran

THE complainant filed the complaint before the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Cuddalore praying for a direction to the opposite parties, Tamil Nadu Electricity Board [TNEB] to give service connection to his lands immediately and further claiming a sum of Rs. 3,00,000/- as compensation for mental agony. THE District Forum directed the TNEB to pay a sum of Rs. 2,000/- for deficiency of service and further directed them to give service connection to the complainant for his lands within three months from the date of the order. THE complainant applied for service connection in the year 1991. He has applied for the service connection to the pumpset installed in his agricultural lands. He has specifically stated in his application that the said lands were situated in Survey No. 193/19 of Attukurichi Village. He has also his address as Rajendrapattinam, Vriddhachalam Taluk, Cuddalore District. THE Village Officer has also given a certificate vouchsafing the same. THE application was accepted by the Executive Engineer, Kurinjipadi. THE complainant was waiting, but no action was taken by the Electricity Board. THE TNEB put themselves in a web of confusion. THEy have been saying that the complainant''s land is situated in some other division and on that ground they have been turning a deaf ear to the complainant''s request. In fact the complainant has also filed an affidavit from a third party stating that the said third party viz., one Arumugam, filed as Ex. A-6, to the effect that his lands are also situated in Vizhuthudayan Village near Cuddalore District border and the Assistant Executive Engineer, TNEB, Rajendrapattinam has given electricity connection to his lands even in the year 1996. THE action of the TNEB in not immediately granting service connection amounts to deficiency in service. For, we find that the Electricity Board itself has instructed that supply to the applicants can be effected from the nearest power line so as to reduce the expenditure for the Board irrespective of whether the power line is in the lands of the applicant''s distribution circle area or not. This communication has been sent by the Board in 1997. Even after that, the respondents have been dragging the matter. THErefore, in such circumstances, the District Forum was justified in passing the order directing the TNEB to effect service connection to the complainant''s lands. When there are instructions from the Board itself that the service connections could be effected from the nearest power line irrespective of the jurisdiction, to sit over one''s application for nearly about 10 years, is really abominable. THErefore, we are of the view that the order passed by the District Forum does not call for interference. THE direction issued by the District Forum is well-founded, backed by logic, reasonableness and practicality. It is really sad that the service connection has not been given for years on flimsy grounds. Consequently, we do not find any merit in this appeal.

THE appeal is, therefore, dismissed with costs, confirming the order passed by the District Forum, Cuddalore. Costs Rs. 250/-. Appeal dismissed.