The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has released its Citizen’s Charter setting a time frame for resolution of 17 kinds of civic grievances, with conspicuous omission of major complaints related to street dog menace, property tax assessments, unauthorised structures and encroachment of government properties.
Also absent are penal provisions in case the deadlines are missed. Citizen’s Charters are prepared by government departments in order to ensure transparency and accountability, with commitments towards quality and time frame for service delivery.
In the orientation workshop organised for ward-level officers recently, Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao made a mention about introduction of the Citizen’s Charter with deadline durations prescribed for each type of grievance.
All the other departments from where staff are assigned to the ward offices, such as Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) and Southern Power Distribution Company (TSSPDCL), already have Citizen’s Charters, with the latter’s document prescribing even penalties payable to users in case of laxity.
The Charter released by GHMC mentions services related to road and footpath maintenance, stormwater drainage, sanitation, entomology, veterinary wing, and urban community development.
The lowest window pertains to the Sanitation Wing, with collection of solid waste, and clearing of garbage from Garbage Vulnerable Points listed for redressal on the same day. Several other works, including filling of potholes, replacement of catch-pit (manhole) covers, removal of silt from the roadside, street light repairs, anti-larval operations, and removal of dead animal carcasses, have been given a time frame of 24 hours.
Clearing of construction and demolition debris, clearance of water stagnation and removal of blockages from stormwater drains have a window period of 48 hours, while footpath repair has been given a generous 72 hours.
One month is the maximum time limit in the charter allowed for establishment of public toilet, and 15 days is for issue of identity cards to persons with disabilities and senior citizens.
Major complaints such as clearance of encroachments and action against illegal properties do not come with any time frame, though staff from the Town Planning Wing are allotted to the ward offices. Property tax disputes do not figure at all.
The corporation has also released a Ward Office Manual detailing the duties and responsibilities of each of the staff allotted to the offices.
Accordingly, it is the job of the town planner to inspect building constructions regularly, remove encroachments, protect public properties, receive grievances on unauthorised constructions, and forward reports to the higher authorities.
