Consumer forum slams BWSSB for failing to fix sewerage pipeline

A consumer forum has slammed the BWSSB for ignoring the complaint of a resident of Manjunath Nagar near Magadi Road to fix the sewerage pipeline in the area.

The IV Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, comprising president S L Patil and member Roopa N R, passed an order on the complaint by Banu Mithra, who had stated that the BWSSB had failed to fix the sewerage pipeline in the area.

She had sought a refund of the monthly charges paid to the board since 2012 and an additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh against the damages.

The forum was unhappy over the BWSSB's indifference even after repeated representation by the complainant and also for ignoring a directive issued by the chief minister via a letter issued to them to address the problem.

Since the BWSSB officials did not respond to the forum's notice even to file objections, it was taken as an admission of the allegations made by the complainant in the consumer complaint, and the order was passed based on the evidence and witnesses.

'No plaints received'

BWSSB assistant engineer Shekhar Sridhar Naik of the Magadi Road service station asserted that they did not receive complaints from the Manjunath Nagar area and would have fixed the problem if it had been reported.

The forum directed the BWSSB to realign, rearrange and reconstruct the entire sewerage network in Manjunath Nagar so that the flow of sewage is unhindered. It also directed the board to restore the Vrushabhavathi stormwater drain and excavate the accumulated slush from the bed for the smooth flow of water.

The complainant claimed that she had obtained a water and sanitary connection from the BWSSB in 2012 by paying Rs 214 as a monthly charge, but instead, was suffering as the entire sewerage had been flowing back into her premises.

Manjunath Nagar's sewerage problems have been persisting since 2012 in spite of many complaints to the authorities.