The district consumer disputes redressal forum here has directed a company to pay compensation to a doctor for supplying a water purifier with manufacturing defects.
Rani Nirmaladevi, a doctor in Avaniapuram, bought Kent Mineral Reverse Osmosis water purifier from Hi-Tech Water Solutions in Madurai on June 5, 2008 at a cost of Rs. 14,800. The water purifier had one-year warranty, and in March, 2009 there was overflow of water from the purifier, she said. “Water started flowing across the kitchen floor and all the electrical appliances were damaged. The technician at the shop said it had a manufacturing defect that cannot be set right,” Ms. Nirmaladevi told the court and claimed a compensation of Rs. 2 lakh from the firm.
Even after a notice was issued, representatives from the firm did not appear in court. In an ex-parte judgment, P. Deivaraj, president of Madurai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, and N. Thilagam, member of the forum, held the firm responsible for the agony the petitioner underwent. They also rejected its contention that they were not responsible for the water leakage.
“The respondents should have repaired the machine or should have replaced it with a new purifier. Since they have not done that, they should pay a compensation of Rs. 5,000 to the petitioner, besides repairing or replacing the faulty purifier,” the judgment read.
