Observing that “it should have been serious and concerned about manufacturing of hygienic consumable commodity”, Bisleri International Pvt Ltd has been directed by the Consumer Forum to pay a compensation of ₹15,000 to a retailer who found insects in a packaged water bottle he had purchased for sale at his store.
While noting that even as the contents of the bottle were not consumed by anyone, human life was at peril, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (North) directed the company to pay the compensation to the complainant towards harassment and litigation expenses.
“Admittedly the bottle was not consumed by anyone but obviously it contained foreign particulars and the human life was at peril. The O.P-2 (Bisleri International) should have been serious and concerned about manufacturing of hygienic consumable commodity. The complainant suffered mental agony and litigation expenses for which he needs to be adequately compensated,” said the Forum.
“We are of the opinion that the ends of justice would be met, if the complainant is awarded for a sum of ₹15,000 as compensation towards harassment and litigation expenses,” it ordered. The case dates back to 2013.
The complainant in this case ran a small store at Boulward road. In June, 2013, he purchased 10 boxes of Bisleri bottles from an authorised dealer of Bisleri for sale at his store.
On checking the bottles, he found insects and worms in one of the bottles which was properly sealed. He then approached the dealer who did not pay any heed forcing him to approach the company.
The complainant then filed a complaint before the District Forum. Bisleri appeared before the Forum and said one of its executives had visited the complainant asking him to give the water bottle in question for sample analysis and tests. It said the complainant refused to hand over the bottle and demanded heavy compensation.
The company also told the Forum that it has come to know about the duplicacy of the water bottles in its brand name and is in the process of lodging a complaint against the offenders. The Forum, however, noted that, “Though the bottle of Bisleri was not sent for Chemical Analysis by the complainant yet the same was very much examined by the official of O.P-2 (Bisleri International) upon which they agreed for amicable settlement and offered a sum of ₹5,000.”
