IN THE DISTRICT CONSUMER DISPUTES REDRESSAL FORUM,PURI

CONSUMER COMPLAINT NO.390/2012

PRESENT: Sri P.C.Mishra,President

Sri D.Moharana,Member

Dwiti Krushna Ray,

S/o.Sri Shiba Prasad Ray,

At-Mukunda Mishra Nagar,P.O.Gopinathpur,

PS-Puri Sadar,Dist-Puri …Complainant

Vrs.

1-Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.(BSNL)

Bharat Sanchar Bhawan,Janpath,New Delhi.

2-Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.,Corporate Office

B-148,Statesman House,Barkhamba Road,New Delhi-110001

3-Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.,Regional Office

Unit-IX,Door Sanchar Bhawan,Bhubaneswar

4-Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.,Puri Telecom Division,

Puri. …Opp.Parties

For the complainant- M/s.B.K.Ray Advocate & Associates

For the Opp.Parties- None

DATE OF FILING26.12.2012

DATE OF DISPOSAL-15.7.2016

O R D E R

Sri D.Moharana,Member

1. Deficiency in providing satisfactory telecom service is the grievance of the complainant.

2. The complainant alleges that he is a consumer under the O.Ps in respect of land line telephone connection bearing telephone No.06752-220552 from 31.12.1999 under rural category since he is residing in rural area i.e. Mukunda Mishra Nagar of Puri but he is deprived of getting usual number of free calls under rural category. The O.Ps are no more supplying bills through postal services like before for which he is not able to pay the telephone bills regularly in time and the duplicate bill obtained otherwise are ambiguous bills and do not reflect all the data which are available in the original bills. He further states that most of the times his telephone remains dead and not working due to defective cable line and defective box installed for the purpose. In this regard the complainant has approached the O.Ps several times but the grievance has not been sorted out by the O.Ps. Finding no other alternative the complainant has approached this Forum praying for a direction to the O.Ps. to issue bills through postal services, replace the cable line and box and to provide actual numbers of free call facilities as per rural category tariff and to pay compensation of Rs.60,000/- on different heads for harassment, mental agony caused due to deficiency in service of the O.Ps.

3. The O.Ps represented through the S.D.O.(Phones),Puri appeared on 12.11.2012 and took time to file written version. But subsequently the O.Ps neither appeared nor filed any written version in support of their case. Hence, set ex-parte on 12.2.2015.

4. The learned counsel appearing on behalf of the complainant pressed the matter to be heard and filed a memo in view of long pending of the case. Heard the complainant at length and perused the documents filed on record. The complainant submitted that he is a bonafide customer under O.Ps since 31.12.1999. He further submits that although he has availed the telephone connection under rural category but the O.Ps has been raising bills under urban category for which he is being deprived of getting free calls under rural category. He further submitted that he has to collect the duplicate bills from the Office of the O.Ps with much difficulty due to negligence of the O.Ps to provide the bills to him through usual postal services but the same do not bear the complete data as there are so many dates not reflected in duplicate bill.

5. On perusal of documents as filed in this case it reveals that the complainant in this regard has intimated to the O.Ps through a series of letters but no action has been taken by the O.Ps to that effect. The complainant has also alleged to have suffered a lot due to interrupted telephone service and receiving of ambiguous bills from the O.Ps. It also reveals from the receipts submitted by the complainant that he was paying the telephone bills regularly without any arrear dues pending against him. Despite the fact, no steps were taken by the O.Ps for which he has to come up with the present consumer complaint. Moreover, due to not filing of written version by the O.Ps despite several opportunities, we are satisfied the allegation of the complainant about the aforesaid deficiency in service goes un-assailed and entitles the complainant to get the appropriate relief for satisfactory services.

6. In view of the facts and circumstances of the case, we allow the complaint with a direction to the O.Ps to henceforth provide the prescribed number of free calls to the complainant under the rural category, issue monthly telephone bills to him regularly by postal services as usual in his given address of communication. The O.Ps are also directed to rectify the defective box and cable line meant for the telephone connection of the complainant without unreasonable delay and see that the complainant gets uninterrupted and satisfactory telephone service without any hindrance. The case is accordingly disposed of and in the peculiar facts and circumstances we are not inclined to impose any compensation or cost of litigation on the O.Ps .

Dictated and corrected by me on this 15^th day of July,2016.

I agree

Sd/- P.C.Mishra Sd/- D.Moharana

 PRESIDENT            MEMBER