IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
WP(C).No. 14596 of 2010(Y)
1. MADHU KADAVAN,S/O.IMMANUEL KADAVAN,AGED
... Petitioner
Vs
1. KRERALA WATER AUTHORITY,TRIVANDRUM-
... Respondent
2. ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE ENGINEER,
3. THE METER INSPECTOR FOR PALARIVATTOM,
For Petitioner :SRI.JACOB PULIKKAN
For Respondent : No Appearance
The Hon'ble MR. Justice S.SIRI JAGAN
Dated :19/05/2010
O R D E R
S. SIRI JAGAN, J.
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W.P.(C)No. 14596 of 2010
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Dated this the 19th day of May, 2010
J U D G M E N T
Petitioner complains that in the place of normal water
bills ranging from Rs.37/- to Rs.67/- bimonthly, the
petitioner has now been successively issued with bills for
exorbitant amounts of Rs.3,830/-, Rs.21,324/- & Rs.31,318/-.
According to the petitioner for a small house which houses
only less than 5 people such exorbitant water bills is totally
unjustified which is clearly because of either fault in the
meter or some other mistakes committed by the water
authority. Petitioner therefore wants quashing of the
impugned bills.
2. Learned standing counsel for the Kerala Water
Authority points out that the petitioner has already invoked
the appellate jurisdiction of the Assistant Executive
Engineer by filing Ext.P9 appeal and the Executive Engineer
who is competent to deal with the same can be directed to
W.P.(C)No. 14596 of 2010
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dispose of the same expeditiously. After having heard both
sides, I dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the
concerned Engineer of the Water Authority to consider and
pass orders on Ext.P9 expeditiously. Till orders are so
passed, further coercive proceedings against the petitioner
like recovery or disconnection of water supply shall be kept
in abeyance on condition that the petitioner pays an amount
of Rs.2,500/- within two weeks. In the meanwhile, the
concerned Engineer shall also examine the water
connection of the petitioner to ascertain the cause of
exorbitant increase in water bills and take appropriate steps
to remedy the same.
S. SIRI JAGAN
JUDGE
shg/