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Consumer panel pulls up RDA

Correspondent

Asks authority to refund deposit to consumer with interest

CUTTACK: The Orissa Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission in a significant judgment passed earlier this week directed the Rourkela Development Authority (RDA) to refund the entire amount deposited by a consumer who had applied for a house under Gopabandhu Nagar Housing Scheme floated by the Authority. The RDA is also directed to pay an additional consolidated amount of Rs 7,000 towards interest and cost of the case to the consumer.Disposing of an appeal made by RDA, which had challenged the order of Sundergarh district Consumer Forum, Commission president Justice R K Patra came down heavily on RDA authorities for failing to deliver the possession of the house to applicant Kailash Shankar Sharma, who had deposited Rs 90,000 in 1997 for one LIG house.

The district forum in 2001 had directed the RDA to refund the amount to Sharma of Rourkela area with an interest at the rate of 14 percent per annum and pay him a sum of another Rs 500 also towards the cost of the case.

The RDA however, challenged this order of the district forum before the State Commission under the plea that the possession of the house could not be delivered to the applicant in time because of non-supply of electricity and water to the housing scheme area.

Justice Patra pulled up the RDA authorities for floating the housing scheme without making adequate provisions ready. "Without first making the infrastructure ready, the appellant (RDA) should not have floated the scheme of allotment of houses. There is limitation to one's patience," the state commission observed.Upholding the direction of the district forum, the State Commission however, modified the district forum's order saying that instead of paying the interest at the rate of 14 percent per annum, RDA would pay a consolidated amount of Rs 7000 towards the interest and cost. The entire amount should be paid to the consumer by April 15, the order said.

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