NAMAKKAL: The Namakkal district Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) on Monday directed the Namakkal Municipal Corporation (NMC) to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to a petitioner for inadequate service, relating to the delimitation of vacant plots.
A NCDRC official said Tamilselvi, 56, of Karuveppampatty, near Tiruchengode in Namakkal district, purchased a 3,200-square-feet vacant plot within the limits of the corporation in 2000. Later, in February 2021, she applied for the delimitation scheme introduced by the state government and paid a registration fee of rs 500. She provided the necessary documents to the NMC, which subsequently forwarded the application to the assistant director of urban development, for approving the unauthorised housing plot.
In May 2021, the NMC was sent a letter of approval, instructing it to collect the delimitation and development fees and issue the delimitation order. The woman’s husband, Karthikeyan, repeatedly met corporation officials to process the same but did not receive proper response. Eventually, they were asked to reapply for delimitation.
In August 2021, Tamilselvi submitted a fresh application along with the relevant documents and paid the registration fee again. Subsequently, in October 2021, Tamilselvi paid the corporation Rs 26,820 as development fee, Rs 74,500 as delimitation fee, and Rs 500 for the flag day. However, the delimitation order was never issued.
Tamilselvi then filed a complaint with the NCDRC in April 2023. After considering the arguments from both parties, NCDRC judge V Ramaraj, along with members R Ramola and N Lakshmanan, determined that the NMC had provided inadequate service. They ordered the corporation to compensate Tamilselvi with 50,000 within four weeks for the distress and inconvenience caused to her.
