Telangana government wants to make the Municipal Administration Department corruption free. My suggestions sent MAUD are as follows;
Administration:
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, aims to promote and protect the rights and interests of consumers. Unfortunately, municipal services including water connection are currently not covered under this law.
In case of such services, even if citizens use the RTI to get information, it is a tedious process to get justice. Unlike deficiencies in goods, those aggrieved due to deficiencies in essential services don’t look for financial damages but redressal of the complaint, which they expect to be delivered by the authority.
Unauthorized Construction Penalty – Regularisation;
It’s found under MCH act (GHMC) 1955 there are certain clauses under Section 220 A (1) on Unauthorised Construction issue. This act has been passed before formation of Telangana.
It says – Levy and Collection of penalty on unauthorized construction shall not be construed as regularisation of such unauthorized construction or reconstruction.
Penalty leviable under Section 220 A (1) shall be determined and collected by such authority and in such manner as may be prescribed. The penalty payable shall be deemed to be the property tax due [section 220 A (2)].
An amendment in clause section 220 A (1) of GHMC act of 1955 by removing words “Shall not be Construed” and “Shall be Treated as regularised” as the unauthorized construction penalty going to be recurring one per annum like property tax.
Multi Storied Residential Building’s Water Charges;
The need of the hour is to bring in amendments in Water Board Proceedings and Guidelines for New Water Connection especially under Category II related multistoried residential buildings which are enacted before 2014 (MD’s Procs. No. 24/E/1/97/2003-dt: 30/01/2013).”
“Because of existing working out charges and levies cost of an apartment dwelling becomes higher and recurring expenditure per occupant drastically shoots up for especially for drinking water than the billing amount as per monthly consumption.”
“When the water supply is going to from the same main lines and same time limit up to the sump point of any individual house or multi storied residential complex, Fixed Amount according to dia and plot size should be made affordable especially to the MSRB consumers?”
The Fixed amounts should be Rs. 1.5 lakhs for 20mm, Rs. 2.5 lakhs for 25mm, Rs. 3.5 lakhs for 40mm, Rs. 4.5 lakhs for 50mm, Rs. 5.5 lakhs for 75mm and Rs. 7.5 lakhs for 100mm, should drastically brought down.
The clause “Rate per each square meter of plot area in excess of the column (3) which is to be added to fixed amounts in column (5)” should be relaxed.
Under Category III Bulk Supplies vide Memo. No. MD/HMWSSB/BM-20/Bulk Supplies/2011, Dt: 12/09/2011, Relaxation are needed related to charges of sewerage connection, improvement, green brigade, rain water harvesting and source improvement to make the connection affordable.
When private water suppliers are able to supply at the doorstep ₹ 1/- per litre, the piped water supplied by the water is on the higher side. Because of such rules and charges of water board private drinking water suppliers out beat the quasi government establishment.
There should be rethinking and refixing on all present levies and charges for multi storied residential buildings.
