Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) fined for Rs 5 lakhs for not providing drinking water

The National Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has sent a strong message to civic authorities that often get into litigation for denying basic amenities to consumers by opposing their genuine complaints. Pulling up the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to failing to provide clean drinking water to residents to MGA Hisar, the apex court has imposed a fine of five lakh rupees on the authority.

“Public authorities spent more money on contesting cases than the amount they might have to pay to the claimant. In addition thereto, precious time, effort and other resources go down the drain in vain,” said the NDRC bench presided over by VB Gupta.

The residents of MGA Hisar had complained to the district consumer forum that even though plots in the residential area had been opened to purchase by HUDA, there was no supply of clean drinking water and no provision for waste management. The authority argued that they were supplying water in the morning and evening through tube wells, and there was no need to provide cannal water.

“The officials of the petitioner authority in the present case are bent upon not providing water that is for human consumption to the allot tees of the respondent,” the bench said.