The TN Agricultural University in Coimbatore has moved the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in New Delhi with a complaint praying for a direction to Elseetee Agro Machines India Private Limited in Coimbatore, an authorised dealer of Guangxi Yunma Hansheng Machinery Manufacture Company Limited in China, to pay Rs 6.35 crore towards the cost of five cane harvesters and another Rs 25 lakh towards compensation for supplying defective machines.
According to Abdul Saleem, the counsel for the University, the Commission admitted the complaint and ordered notice to the supplier returnable by January 29.
In the complaint, University Dean S Santhana Bosu and advocate Saleem contended that five such machines were purchased for demonstration of sugarcane harvests in the fields of farmers and the dealer supplied the same in June last year. When the trials were conducted in the sugarcane fields for harvesting, they did not perform satisfactorily. The level of breakage of cane and trash content were 12.5 per cent and 10 per cent respectively, which was very much on the higher side, resulting in huge loss of crops. The performance was not acceptable either to the University or to the farmers or the crushing mills. The specific conditions stipulated in the tender were violated. Letters were sent to the supplier to either rectify the defects or take them back. But, there was no response. The machines were lying idle for the past eight months.
The action of the supplier and its manufacturer in China in supplying defective machines was highly deplorable. Due to their action, the reputation of the University was affected and the complainants were subjected to severe mental agony and untold hardship. Hence, the duo was liable to compensate the University by refunding Rs 6.35 crore being the cost of the five machines with Rs 25 lakh towards compensation, Saleem contended.