The Thane District Consumer Redressel Forum has held that water connection to any consumer is essential and civic corporation cannot abruptly cut it off.

The forum came down heavily on Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) and ordered it to restore the water connection to the Bhayander-based Sai Anusuya cooperative housing society within 72 hours.

The society filed a complaint against the MBMC when its water connection was cut off because at the time of making an application for water connection, it had not informed the corporation about a civil suit pending in court against MBMC.

On April 24, 2012, the MBMC issued a notice stating that the society had in its application for water connection concealed the fact that there was a civil case pending against the corporation. Therefore, it had betrayed the corporation and hence cut off the water connection to the society.

However, the society, while approaching the forum on May 22, 2012, submitted before it that the suit was between the builder and the corporation and the society was not aware of it and informed about the hardships being faced by them and prayed for restoration of water supply.

The forum said the respondents ought to have obtained full information from the complainant before providing the connection. It had provided the connection based on the application and the agreement and the corporation was passing on the blame on the society and disconnected the water supply, which was illegal.

The MBMC cannot cut off the water connection, the forum said in its order issued on Monday.

As the corporation has for a long time without any action kept the supply going, therefore till the complaint is finally disposed off, it should keep one of the supplies on as it is an essential and emergency service, the forum said.