Kochi: Kerala High Court has fined Kerala Water Authority for its mishandling of a bill non-payment. The court asked it to refund Rs 40,000 deposited by Suryanarayan, the petitioner.
Terming it as gross negligence, the court also asked KWA asked it to pay a cost of Rs 10,000 to the Kerala State Legal Services Authority. It left it open for the KWA to realise the amount from its erring officials.
Initially, the KWA raised a bill in the name Seetha Rama Iyer, the original owner of a building having shop rooms in Kochi, and served it on the tenant demanding payment.
But he replied that the room never had any water connection and that the notice could be served on the present owner, Mr Suryanarayan. The tenant also provided the owner’s address. But the authority did not immediately act.
On November 12, 2008, it issued a disconnection notice. After receiving the notice, Mr Suryanarayan submitted his explanation, besides asserting that the entire building never had any water connection. Still, the KWA persisted with its demand and issued notice insisting that their record revealed otherwise and the owner should pay.
The court observed, given the contradictory stand, "the authorities could have physically inspected the building to ascertain the fact. Again, they did not."
