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Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Robust municipal governance holds the key to preventing waterlogging and health hazards during monsoon
Written by Lakshita Handa and Pragya Singh As the monsoon inches closer and orange alerts are issued in multiple states, with a few more reeling under intense bouts of non-seasonal rainfall, urban local bodies (ULBs) need to step up before the condition of our cities turns worse. Given that most policy interventions in this domain are post-facto and reactive, there is a need to craft a resilient urban governance framework . Whose responsibility is it? As per the Constitution's 12th Schedule, matters pertaining to urban planning, including town planning, fall within the domain of ULBs. Issues such as flood control and drainage maintenance are squarely within the list of functions that state governments must devolve to urban local bodies (ULBs). Poorly maintained drainage systems, coupled with lackadaisical preparatory and responsive action frameworks, aggravate existing gaps in the governance of urban spaces. Paucity of funds and limited autonomy over how to spend allocated funds also impede the ability of ULBs to discharge their functions effectively. In a 2024 compendium examining the health of ULBs in 18 States, the CAG noted a glaring 42 per cent disparity between the resources and expenditures of these agencies. It also found that only 29 per cent of the expenditure that ULBs incurred was channelled towards undertaking programmatic and development work. Most states did not devolve the urban planning function to ULBs, as mandated by the 74th amendment of the Constitution. The CAG also found that self-collected funds accounted for only 32 per cent of the ULB's total revenue, underscoring their high dependency on state governments for funds. Monsoon preparedness is not a new thing. States with geographic vulnerability to cyclones — such as Odisha and Bihar — have developed tailored schemes to address the urban governance challenges. This issue was addressed at the national level by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs through the Urban Flooding SOPs released in 2017. The SOP outlines a three-phase urban flood management strategy. (a) Pre-monsoon: Mitigation planning based on geographic characteristics of the urban area; (b) During-monsoon: Involving warning systems, citizen engagement and implementation of relief measures; and (c) Post-monsoon: Dedicated to restoring infrastructure and rehabilitating affected populations. The SOP, however, is only recommendatory in nature and has not been adopted in a uniform manner. As a result, the efforts of ULBs have been fragmented. There is also an overall lack of uptake for mechanisms that appropriately address the urban governance issues emerging during the monsoon season. What can urban local bodies do better? Each year, after heavy downpours, seemingly well-equipped cities, including those that are at the forefront of the smart city initiative, come to a complete standstill. Garbage clogs drains due to inefficient waste management practices. Often, it leads to health hazards. To address these challenges, one must identify the vulnerabilities of existing urban infrastructure and systems. Creating a decentralised model for risk mitigation and management has historically proved to be more efficient than undertaking macro-level initiatives for larger areas. Any urban action plan should be responsive to the specific needs of vulnerable groups, and information should also be adequately disseminated to such groups to raise awareness. The Odisha Government's urban flood and water management action plan for ULBs is one such example of a preventive, preparatory and response strategy. The Housing and Urban Development Department has ordered the identification of hotspots with a high propensity of waterlogging and has deployed necessary equipment for appropriate emergency responses in such areas. Another key feature of the plan includes inspecting and desilting drainage systems, while covering open drains to prevent blockages. As per the plan, authorities have been given the task to designate certain public buildings as emergency shelters with requisite food, water and sanitation facilities, particularly for vulnerable groups. Officers were appointed at the zonal level to oversee emergency responses in their respective areas, and ULBs have been required to maintain 24/7 control rooms for addressing public grievances. Focussing on health management, the plan also includes larvicide spraying and regular fogging to prevent infections caused by the breeding of mosquitoes in stagnant water. Notably, the plan emphasises the need for community involvement through the participation of local volunteers and self-help groups. For ULBs to discharge these functions effectively, there is a need for fiscal decentralisation and concomitant optimisation of revenue streams within local self-governments. Since the utilisation of funds remains a pressing issue, local bodies should formulate medium-term fiscal plans with clear budgeting and timelines to ensure that available resources are utilised towards carrying out civic work. This will enable such bodies to estimate their financing requirements and thus improve the quality of infrastructure and services. These budgeting exercises may be tracked through finance management systems and robust auditing mechanisms to monitor disbursals and promote transparency. While the Centre may provide phased support to prevent urban flooding through schematic interventions, the responsibility of employing monsoon flooding mitigation measures is largely on ULBs and states. To effectively discharge this function, suitable budgetary allocations should be made at the very outset. Key features from Odisha's monsoon preparedness and response action plan may be suitably emulated in other states. For instance, drain cleaning and desilting operations may be pre-emptively undertaken in the areas that are historically most susceptible to waterlogging. Encroachments should also be removed for the efficient movement of stormwater. During the season, necessary equipment, such as to remove fallen trees, may be kept on standby to prevent traffic disturbances. Existing SOPs and guidelines on urban flooding should be operationalised through better inter-departmental coordination within state governments and ULBs. The sponge city urban planning model, as implemented in China, could be considered at a broader level by strengthening green infrastructure like parks, wetlands and permeable pavements. Though radical, moving away from 'draining' to 'soaking' may serve as a long-term sustainable solution, which could ultimately improve the health of our waterways and ecosystems. Community engagement and consultation should lie at the heart of these action plans to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility. The writers are Senior Resident Fellows at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Performance concerns brushed under the carpet? Gurgaon road sweeping contractor gets one-year extension
Gurgaon: Haryana urban local bodies (ULB) department has extended the contract of the operating firm of the road sweeping machines by one year. This comes at a time when the machines in the city and Manesar are facing scrutiny. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The extension was granted in April this year, coinciding with the period when concerns about these machines' effectiveness emerged, it has been learned. Out of 44 machines, 16 machines are being operated in the city and five in Manesar. The sweeping machines managed by a private contractor for MCG, which should operate throughout the night on city roads, were underperforming, TOI reported on April 22. Councillor of Ward Number 11 Kuldeep Yadav has called the whole episode "a big scam", seeking termination of the contract of the firm. It was on May 21 that a committee was formed to assess the cost-effectiveness of its road sweeping machines. The committee was directed to submit the report by May 25. However, it has not yet submitted the report. An MCG official requesting anonymity said, "We are still working on it. The report is not yet submitted." The private firm was granted approval for operations and maintenance of sweeping machines in Sept 2019 for five years up to March 31, 2025. According to records obtained by TOI, MCG spends approximately Rs 4 crore monthly for these sweeping machines. The firm, which received the extension, operates and maintains 44 sweeping machines across various districts, including Manesar, Faridabad and Narnaul. A letter sent by the ULB department to the private firm on April 5 read, "I have been directed by the competent authority to inform you that the contract period for comprehensive operation and maintenance of truck-mounted road sweeping machines is hereby extended from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026 on the same terms and conditions." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now TOI reported on April 22 that one of the sweeping machines worked only for 28 minutes daily. It was discussed at a virtual meeting, led by ULB commissioner and secretary Vikas Gupta on April 21. Subsequently, Badshapur MLA and Haryana industries and commerce, forest and environment minister Rao Narbir Singh on May 9 said he would conduct an investigation into the functioning of sweeping machines and super sucker machines run by MCG, which led to the setting up of a panel. The panel is tasked to evaluate how well the mechanical sweeping systems function, their operational effectiveness, difficulties faced and cost considerations, alongside a comparative analysis with conventional manual sweeping techniques. Councillor Yadav said, "Spending this huge amount on sweeping machines every month should have transformed Gurgaon into Paris or London. However, if you follow the routes that these machines ply on, you will see roads full of dust." Yadav said, "It is a big scam and there should be a third-party investigation. The councillors in the previous term too demanded termination of the contract of this agency."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Housing societies protest against Manesar civic body's sanitation charge
GURUGRAM : Thousands of residents of group housing societies living in new sectors are up in arms against imposition of sanitation charges by MCM despite no door-to-door waste collection services by the corporation. In what residents call an "arbitrary and coercive" collection under the guise of municipal taxation, MCM has appended sanitation tax to their property tax bills even though no civic worker has ever entered their compounds for waste pickup. The charges, enforced without service, are not just causing inconvenience — they block transactions like property sales and lease agreements, since a No Dues Certificate (NDC) cannot be obtained unless the tax is paid. They pointed out that the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) earlier instructed MCM to levy such charges only where door-to-door garbage collection is provided. On Monday, representatives from several housing societies met with additional commissioner Jitender Kumar and submitted a memorandum demanding an immediate waiver of the sanitation charges. "Why are we paying for something we never received? Our society spends around Rs 7 lakh every month on sanitation managed by us, yet MCM forces us to pay again just to get a No Dues Certificate. This is nothing short of coercion," said Dharmvir Singh, president of Mapsko Casabella RWA . In a letter to the MCM commissioner, RWAs have demanded an independent forensic audit of sanitation deployment records and expenditure, alongside the immediate rollback of the charges and legal action against any officials involved in violating the ULB order. "This is not just about money. It's about defiance of a govt directive. If civic bodies start charging residents without service and ignore state orders, we are no longer a rule-based society," said Kumar Ashok, president of Bestech Grand Spa RWA . RWAs have warned that if corrective steps are not taken, they will approach the State Lokayukta, Vigilance Bureau, and even the high court for relief. Some RWA representatives also met the MCM commissioner last week, urging the removal of sanitation charges from group housing societies classified as bulk waste generators (BWGs). "This is a double whammy on residents," said Praveen Malik, president of Rising Homes RWA. "While MCM organises meetings for tax collection and property ID verification, it has ignored our grievances. We manage waste collection internally through empanelled vendors under the BWG framework. We segregate waste at source, maintain records, and bear all operational costs ourselves." When asked, an MCM official defended the corporation's position, saying, "This is a state policy that mandates collection of sanitation charges in municipal areas. If the state revises the policy, we will waive the charges—but we cannot do it on our own."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
‘No service, but forced to pay': Societies protest against MCM's sanitation charge
Gurgaon: Thousands of residents of group housing societies living in new sectors are up in arms against imposition of sanitation charges by MCM despite no door-to-door waste collection services by the corporation. In what residents call an "arbitrary and coercive" collection under the guise of municipal taxation, MCM has appended sanitation tax to their property tax bills even though no civic worker has ever entered their compounds for waste pickup. The charges, enforced without service, are not just causing inconvenience — they block transactions like property sales and lease agreements, since a No Dues Certificate (NDC) cannot be obtained unless the tax is paid. They pointed out that the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) earlier instructed MCM to levy such charges only where door-to-door garbage collection is provided. On Monday, representatives from several housing societies met with additional commissioner Jitender Kumar and submitted a memorandum demanding an immediate waiver of the sanitation charges. "Why are we paying for something we never received? Our society spends around Rs 7 lakh every month on sanitation managed by us, yet MCM forces us to pay again just to get a No Dues Certificate. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo This is nothing short of coercion," said Dharmvir Singh, president of Mapsko Casabella RWA. In a letter to the MCM commissioner, RWAs have demanded an independent forensic audit of sanitation deployment records and expenditure, alongside the immediate rollback of the charges and legal action against any officials involved in violating the ULB order. "This is not just about money. It's about defiance of a govt directive. If civic bodies start charging residents without service and ignore state orders, we are no longer a rule-based society," said Kumar Ashok, president of Bestech Grand Spa RWA. RWAs have warned that if corrective steps are not taken, they will approach the State Lokayukta, Vigilance Bureau, and even the high court for relief. Some RWA representatives also met the MCM commissioner last week, urging the removal of sanitation charges from group housing societies classified as bulk waste generators (BWGs). "This is a double whammy on residents," said Praveen Malik, president of Rising Homes RWA. "While MCM organises meetings for tax collection and property ID verification, it has ignored our grievances. We manage waste collection internally through empanelled vendors under the BWG framework. We segregate waste at source, maintain records, and bear all operational costs ourselves." When asked, an MCM official defended the corporation's position, saying, "This is a state policy that mandates collection of sanitation charges in municipal areas. If the state revises the policy, we will waive the charges—but we cannot do it on our own."
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Cut down collection points, push for zero waste vision, ULB chief tells MCG
Gurgaon: ULB director Pankaj on Friday instructed MCG officials to expedite legacy waste processing and increase its capacity. He also directed them to reduce the number of secondary waste collection points in the city to move towards "zero dumping ground". The sanitation system of the city, in terms of the areas, should be fully recorded on a digital map to ensure that new officials are well-informed, the minister told MCG officials. Officials informed the director, who visited Bandhwari on Friday afternoon, that two agencies were currently engaged in the legacy waste processing at the Bandhwari landfill site. Earlier in the day, the director held a meeting with the MCG officials and told them municipal work should be both technical and manual, adding, all officials should oversee cleanliness during their visits. He said, "Roads, drainage, sewerage networks and water bodies should be mapped. The number of secondary garbage collection points should be reduced to move towards zero dumping grounds." Pankaj suggested mapping water bodies, roads, drainage and sewerage networks, besides the areas assigned to the sanitary inspectors and officials, to monitor the city's sanitation effectively. The director inspected the material recovery facility at Nathupur village and the micro STP in Sector 43, where he gathered information from officials about the operation and technical aspects of these facilities. He visited the command and control centre at GMDA office in Sector 44 to observe the smart technologies in use. During the meeting, MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya mentioned that the process for a new tender for door-to-door garbage collection is underway. To ensure effective and technical monitoring of this task, RFID tags will be placed on households. He said that the monitoring of road sweeping machines is being increased and cameras will be installed on them. Routes have been shared with councillors and RWAs. He said for the construction and demolition (C&D) waste management, a plant is operational in Basai, tenders are being floated and other actions are being taken to remove debris from other parts of the city. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
