The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission-III, Hyderabad, has ordered the organisers of a residential summer camp to refund camp fees and pay Rs 50,000 compensation after finding that the facilities provided at the camp were below the standards promised in promotional materials.

A bench of president Ram Gopal Reddy and members J Shyamala and D Madhavi Latha noted that the organisers failed to provide hygienic food, safe accommodation, proper medical care, communication facilities and adequate supervision to the minor children in the camp.

“The material on record clearly demonstrates that the Opposite Parties failed to provide hygienic food, safe accommodation, proper medical care, communication facilities and adequate supervision to the minor children. Such acts constitute clear negligence, inadequacy and deficiency in service under Section 2(11) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019,” the bench held in its order dated June 1.

The commission observed that the opposite parties had induced parents to enroll their children by making false assurances regarding infrastructure, safety, hygiene and medical care.

It further noted that the actual conditions at the camp were contrary to the promises made in the brochure and advertisements.

“The material on record clearly demonstrates that the Opposite Parties failed to provide hygienic food, safe accommodation, proper medical care, communication facilities and adequate supervision to the minor children,” the commission observed.

The commission therefore held that the acts amounted to unfair trade practice under Section 2(47) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

It noted that the children were subjected to harassment at a very young age due to the negligent conduct of the opposite party.

“The complainant children suffered physical discomfort, mental trauma and harassment at a very young age due to the negligent conduct of the Opposite Parties. The complainant parents were also subjected to immense mental agony and inconvenience,” the commission remarked.

Considering the facts and the circumstances of the case, the commission held that the complainants were entitled to a refund of the amounts paid, along with reasonable compensation and costs.

Allowing the complaint in part, the commission ordered the opposite parties to refund the entire camp fee totalling Rs 1.66 lakh with interest.

It further ordered to pay Rs 50,000 each to the three children as compensation, and reimburse Rs 15,000 towards litigation expenses.