A developer cannot escape his contractual obligation towards the buyer in a developed property by claiming that he had outsourced the development work to another builder, the Pune district consumer disputes redressal forum has held. In a recent order, the forum, headed by president V P Utpat, ordered a construction firm in Mundhwa to deliver the possession of a 180 sq ft shopping block to the complainant, Meena Harish Bhujbal, with whom he had a registered sale agreement. "As an alternative, if the developer expresses his inability to deliver possession of the block then he should pay the prevailing market price," the forum, which also comprised Mohan Patankar and Kshitija Kulkarni as members, ordered. The three-member bench further directed the firm, Sai Constructions, to pay Rs 25,000 damages to Bhujbal on account of deficiency in service by not delivering possession of the shopping block as promised and causing physical and mental agony to the complainant. The damage...