MCD fined Rs 50,000 for stinking community hall

Tagore Garden resident 77-year-old R.P. Gupta is a satisfied man now. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered the MCD to pay him Rs 50,000 as compensation. Harish V. Nair reports.

Tagore Garden resident 77-year-old R.P. Gupta is a satisfied man now. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered the MCD to pay him Rs 50,000 as compensation.

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Gupta had claimed that MCD had given him an unhygienic community hall in Rajouri Garden to host his grandson's first birthday three years ago. The toilets at the hall were stinking and the stench spread to the rest of the hall. As a result, the guests were forced to leave in a hurry. Even dogs and cats were said reportedly roaming in the hall.

"The compensation, which the petitioner should get, should be commensurate with the kind of injury, damage, harassment and humiliation suffered by him. In our view, the compensation of not less than Rs 50,000 would adequately meet the ends of justice in this case," said a three-judge Bench headed by Justice R.C. Jain. "This would be a lesson for MCD on how to deal with the public," Gupta said.

The commission also said it will continue the proceedings as the "larger issue of proper maintenance and upkeep of 218 such halls run by the MCD is involved in the matter".

The Bench has asked Janak Digal, MCD additional commissioner in charge of community halls to be present at the next hearing on August 6.