Apex consumer commission asks Hitachi to pay Rs 5 lakh for installing faulty air-conditioners

The apex consumer commission has asked Hitachi India's Delhi franchise to pay more than Rs 5 lakh to a travel company for installing faulty air-conditioners at its premises.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) has asked the Delhi branch of Amtrex Hitachi Appliance Ltd (now Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning India Limited) to pay Rs 5,40,000 to Stic Travels Private Ltd within 45 days.

It set aside the Delhi state commission's order which asked the multinational air conditioning manufacturer to pay Rs 10 lakh to the tour operator.

"The complainant (Stic) is definitely entitled to get the payment of this amount as compensation, as even after installation of additional air-conditioners, the situation did not improve," presiding member Prem Narain said.

Since Hitachi has admitted that they offered many solutions to improve cooling, including the provision of additional split air-conditioners, it showed that there was some less cooling and the company itself suggested ways to improve the same, NCDRC said.

"In a way, the shortcoming is accepted to some extent by the company," it said.

The tour operator bought the air-conditioning scheme from Hitachi for Rs 19,37,820 and ancillary work charges of Rs 2,12,180 in 2002.

The complainant claimed the air-conditioning system did not work properly after a year.

When they wrote to Hitachi, the company responded by saying the air-conditioning system was working perfectly and the complaints were related to remote operational issues or voltage problem. There was nothing wrong with the equipment installed, the company added.

Despite installing additional air-conditioners on the advice of Hitachi, the situation did not improve.

The complainant approached the state fora which had awarded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for deficiency of services.