A consumer commission directed the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board (HMWSSB) to reverse three bills which were issued under the commercial category. The commission differed with the board’s stand of a connection as commercial, and after ordering an inspection, treated it as domestic.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-II was dealing with a complaint filed by Indira Srinivas Mawle, with the opposite party being the HMWSSB.
The complainant stated that all efforts of requesting the HMWSSB to change a commercial connection to domestic went in vain, and that this was the second round of litigation on the subject. The complainant also contended that changing of the water connection from domestic to commercial was arbitrary.
For their part, the HMWSSB stated that the change of type of connection was based on their finding that commercial activity was under way on an area of 64 square metres, which is over the prescribed limit of 50 square meters. They also stated that a notice of conversion was sent to the complainant, which the latter denied.
The commission appointed an advocate commissioner with a licensed surveyor who measured the plinth area and filed a report, concluding that 45.04 square metres were being used for commercial activity. The HMWSSB contended that carpet area was measured, and not plinth area. The commission stated that since the HMWSSB did not cross-examine, and failed to ‘elicit anything from the surveyor’, this report would be final. Based on the evidence filed, it concluded that the water connection was domestic.
However, the commission noted that the complainant had not paid minimum charges, and did not award her compensation, but directed a reversal of bills. Costs of ₹10,000 were imposed on the HMWSSB.
