Open house: Rational, transparent billing can mitigate residents’ suffering

Open house: How to check confusion created by inflated water bills, courtesy garbage collection charges?

Revert to previous collection method

Residents are already facing many problems in the ongoing pandemic besides paying hefty bills. Senior citizens are most harassed as handing over waste to the Municipal Corporation staff is an uphill task. Those, who stay on first or second floors, are the worst affected. People, who stay out of Chandigarh also have to pay garbage collection charges. So, the MC should revert to previous garbage collection method.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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QUESTION

A drive has been launched for the implementation of the Apartment Act in Chandigarh. If the Act comes into force, will it prove a boon or bane for residents of the City Beautiful?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to

[email protected]

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People need patience

It was decided that water bills will be charged according to the size of the plot (house). If electricity/water bills are fair enough according to the reading taken by the person concerned how can there be discrepancy collection charges. In this case UT residents need to be patient and support the change in garbage collection method.

Garv Bhupesh, Panchkula

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Publish charges in newspapers

The Municipal Corporation should release a notification in newspapers regarding waste collection charges for transparency and convenience of residents. Also, if charges are to be collected on the basis of number of kitchens, then the civic body should first conduct a survey of all households and then formulate a policy for waste collection charges.

Rahul Garg, Chandigarh

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Another way to fleece UT residents

The Municipal Corporation has replaced slow moving manually drawn carts with motor vehicles to transport household waste just to save time and efforts of its own staff. This change does not benefit residents. There is no justification for including additional charges in water bills. Now, residents spend extra to buy separate bags for segregating dry and wet waste. This is an anti-people act and must be stopped.

SC Luthra, Chandigarh

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Check bills before dispatch

The Municipal Corporation has got surplus man power, which can easily check all bills before dispatching these to consumers. Officials, who inflate water bills, should be accountable for discrepancies. Relying on computers should be avoided in the interest of consumers.

KC Rana, Chandigarh

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Stakeholders not consulted

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation changed the waste collection method for houses without consulting residents or stakeholders, which created confusion. The traditional method was working smoothly and without any complaints or dispute between residents and waste collectors for the last many years. The MC should revert to old tried and tested system.

BS Cheema, Mohali

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Collect charges under separate heads

It’s ridiculous that the UT Municipal Corporation has started adding garbage collection charges in water bills. This is a known fact that the expenses and income of any department are recorded under different heads. How can the MC add garbage collection charges in water bills? Waste collection charges and water bills should be collected under separate heads.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi, Sangrur

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Civic body’s move can’t be justified

Adding garbage collection charges to water bills by the Chandigarh MC can’t be justified. The two charges must be levied and collected separately so that residents know how much they pay for garbage collection and consuming water. A single bill for availing two different amenities adds to confusion. Even after paying hefty bills garbage is not collected properly and on time.

Simran Sidhu, Chandigarh

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‘Rehriwalas’ preferred

Most residents prefer ‘rehriwalas’ as they go door-to-door even floor- to-floor for collecting garbage. This traditional garbage collection method suits senior citizens and residents, who live on upper floors. Secondly, ‘rehriwalas’ have fixed time for waste collection. No one knows when trucks will turn up for collecting waste. Besides, their visits are less frequent. It’ll be better if ‘rehriwalas’ collect waste from homes and dump it in trucks.

Bubby Soin, Chandigarh

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Collect funds from advertisements

It’s responsibility of the Municipal Corporation to collect household waste. Already residents pay property tax, cow cess, water and electric bills, besides bearing other expenses. The MC should make efforts to increase its income by leasing out space for advertisements and through other sources rather than clubbing hefty garbage charges with water bills.

Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali

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A few teething problems

The Administration is trying to make the City Beautiful actually beautiful. In the race for maintaining cleanliness UT is way behind. The Administration wants to make life easy for residents keeping and improve city’s ranking in ‘swachhta’. So, it changed door-step garbage collection method. There are some teething troubles, but we need to support the new garbage collection system in the city.

Anju Mohan, Panchkula

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MC’s White elephant schemes of no use

Residents can’t benefit from white elephant schemes of the Municipal Corporation (MC). Such schemes/plans are beneficial only for the MC. Hike in fuel prices, wear and tear of trucks and salaries of the staff manning vehicles have added to the garbage collection cost. Garbage collection through traditional ‘rehris’ gives employment to many people. It is best and cost-effective way of providing services to UT residents on door step.

Sukhwant Bhullar, Chandigarh

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Give payment options to residents

Garbage collection charges were added to water bills even for those areas where residents had already paid for the service to ‘rehriwalas’. There is no system in place for grievance redressal. Officials just pass the buck when it comes to bill rectification. Why not the MC allow residents to choose option for paying garbage collection charges to ‘rehriwalas’ or the amount be added to water bill?

Suresh Verma, Chandigarh

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MC should have consulted residents

Waste collection charges added to water bills confuse residents. There is no mention of the time period for which waste collection charges have been added. Only mentioned is the huge amount in water bill. People find no logic behind this new garbage collection project. Some RWAs say the new garbage collection method is of no use. They want to continue with hand-drawn carts for door-to-door garbage collection. Besides, the MC should have consulted residents before implementing the new system.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Let RWAs handle waste collection

The Municipal Corporation should not take responsibility for door-to-door garbage collection in the UT. Let the RWAs and mohalla societies handle the task at their own level. Residents of multistorey houses are not at ease with the new waste collection system. Secondly, payment of garbage collection charges to ‘rehriwalas’ may differ from society to society and area to area. The civic body should rectify their bills.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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Charges based on garbage generated

This new garbage collection project seems a bit irrational. Residents must be charged on the basis of garbage generated in their respective households. Besides, they already pay many taxes. The Municipal Corporation vehicles don’t come regularly for collecting waste. The MC should make everything clear on the ground and not just on paper so that people don’t get confused on receiving water bills in which garbage collection charges have been added.

Anita Tandon, Kharar

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Streamline garbage Collection

Over six months have passed since door-to-door garbage collection started, but the Municipal Corporation has failed to streamline the process. Besides, garbage collection charges added to water bills are riddled with issues. There is no clarity on how charges are calculated. The MC is legally bound to mention on the bill how charges are levied. Worse, the garbage collection system is also replete with issues.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Allow part payment

The hefty waste collection charges included in water bills are burning a hole in pockets of UT residents. Ironically, under construction houses are also receiving bills in which garbage collection charges have been added. Apart from explaining the rationale behind overcharging, the civic body should also specify how arrears have been levied. Plus, the MC should extend the last date for payment of bills or allow part payment of bills for giving relief to residents.

Akash Kumar, Chandigarh

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Separate bills for garbage collection

Garbage collection charges should not be added to water bills. A separate on monthly basis should be generated for garbage collection for each household. Already, there were numerous complaints of hefty water and electricity bills received by UT residents. The Municipal Corporation needs to streamline its billing process to avoid confusion among residents.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Mc should be appreciated

The Municipal Corporation should be appreciated for adding garbage collection charges with water bills. The best thing the MC can do is to check the number of gas connections in a particular house. More the number of gas connections more will be garbage collection charges. Officials can check the number of kitchens in houses to avoid any confusion in bills.

Savita Kuthiala, Chandigarh

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Take care of elderly

The Municipal Corporation (MC) should lift garbage from residents door step. Garbage should be lifted from homes of elderly and working couples. Residents pay lump sum amount to ‘rehriwalas’ for lifting waste from their door step. The MC must conduct a survey to find the quantity of waste generated in households and fix garbage collection rate accordingly.

Paramjeet Singh, Chandigarh

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Redress consumers’ grievances

Hefty waste collection charges pinch residents. Those, who earlier paid Rs150 to Rs200 per month for garbage collection, are now paying Rs3000 or more as the amount is added to water bills. Also, bills have to be prepared properly. The MC staff should release garbage collection tariff for transparency and redress consumers’ inflated bills related grievances.

Charu Malhotra, Mohali

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Uniform, Clear-cut policy needed

The Municipal Corporation (MC) introduced fleet of garbage collection vehicles in the UT, but the service did not improve. The collection of domestic waste by ‘rehriwalas’ is still continues. There is confusion regarding payment of garbage collection charges. The MC should frame a clear cut and uniform policy for garbage collection and fix realistic charges for providing this service.

RPS Chopra, Chandigarh

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Update MC records

House occupancy records of the Municipal Corporation (MC) are not complete. Residents are not sure that correct waste collection charges are being levied by the MC. The charges are three to four times higher as compared to those fixed by RWAs and should be reduced considerably. RWAs may be taken into loop for fixing waste collection charges. The period for garbage collection charges are levied should clearly be mentioned in water bills.

Bharat Bhushan Sharma, Chandigarh

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Need to take an urgent call

The UT Municipal Corporation (MC) replaced traditional ‘rehris’ with twin bin vehicles for garbage collection in the city. It started adding garbage collection charges to residents’ monthly water bills. Residents claim that they are receiving hefty water bills. The authorities concerned should allay unfounded fears of residents by making them aware of the ground-level situation. They should give more options to residents to pay garbage collection charges.

Ramesh K Dhiman, Chandigarh

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MC should keep city clean

Paying for availing services provided by the Municipal Corporation (MC) is justifiable, but there has to be transparency in collection of taxes and charges. Residents should be informed well in advance about any new charges levied by the MC/Administration. Hidden garbage collection charges should never be added to water bills. Moreover, it is primary responsibility of the MC to keep the city clean?

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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MC has to pay salaries

Adding garbage collection charges to water bills is justified. The Municipal Corporation has to pay salaries to its workers, who collect garbage from each sector. City residents are bearing financial losses due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. So, garbage collection charges should be lowered or waived off in case lockdown or curfew is imposed in the UT.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh