Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for Local Bodies in Kerala M B Rajesh has said that the fees to be charged by Haritha Karma Sena from business establishments to collect waste would be decided by the government. He also said that steps would be taken to ensure that plastic waste is removed from houses and establishments every week.
“We will end the practice of charging different fees to collect various types of solid waste. When a specific user fee is paid, all kinds of non-biodegradable waste should be collected on designated days. Measures will be taken to reduce the differences between fees charged to collect various types of waste materials. However, additional fees could be charged if waste is gathered based on the user’s request on non-designated days,” said the minister.
Rajesh also announced other major decisions of the government relating to his department, including the opening of a call centre and the introduction of a WhatsApp number at the Principal Directorate of Local Self-Government which the public can contact for redressal of grievances.
Similarly, rules will be framed to renew valid licences on the spot. “If this is not done, the consumer can file an appeal and get the erring official punished,” said the minister.
“With most services available online, officers will face action if the consumers are summoned to the office without reason,” he added.
He also said that the check-list will be updated based on the Right to Service Act.
“The 66 internal vigilance officers in Kerala will be allotted various local bodies to monitor. While Regional Performance Audit Officers will check Corporations, District Panchayats and Block Panchayats, the Internal Vigilance Officers will be in charge of Municipalities and Panchayats,” said Rajesh.
“These officers can track the movement of files through K-Smart and ILGMS systems. A ministerial-level meeting will take place every two weeks to monitor the progress in this regard,” he said.
Yet another decision is to display service and attendance boards and details and contact numbers of appeal authorities in all local body institutions. The service board will have information such as the deadlines to offer each service and the period a file could be kept on the seat of each officer. “Complaints that cannot be solved at the local bodies will be handed over to the standing adalat committees,” said the minister.
Currently, designs of major projects of local bodies are prepared by engineering colleges, charging huge fees. The Local Self-Government Department will set up its own design wing with engineers already working under it, to avoid this expenditure, said Rajesh. A quality monitoring lab also has been mooted to ensure the standards of public works carried out by local bodies, he added.
Referring to vacancies in the department, Rajesh said the appointment of overseers will take place soon at the district level. “We have redeployed junior superintendents in grama panchayats where the post of assistant secretary does not exist, as the performance audit system has been abolished,” he said. Excess staff in the Principal Directorate will also be redeployed in local bodies.