Lawfully yours: By Retired Justice K Chandru

Like RTI, high time we enact Right to Service Act in State

Q: The eluding Metro Water connections to residential colonies near Thapalpetti are yet another proof of the lackadaisical attitude of civic authorities. The tax-paying citizens have been waiting for nearly a decade but in vain. However, if tax is not paid in time penalties are levied. A couple of days ago they attempted an eyewash by giving a connection to a house, without doing a recce of the pipelines laid years ago. These pipelines would certainly have rusted and disintegrated with the soil. As the water started flowing it started seeping at some places, even through the tarmac of the roads, and inundating the pathways. The water emitted a foul smell indicating it was mixed with sewage. Despite a complaint raised on X handle of @CHN_Metro_Water receiving an assurance of speedy rectification, no one has bothered to turn up. Can hapless residents do anything to make government departments responsive to citizen complaints? — Jignesh Chandran, Thapalpetti, Madhavaram

A: Accountability for any public service is essential for any democracy. Earlier, government departments were functioning under secrecy. After the dawn of the Right to Information Act one thought there would be transparency in their action. Some states have reached the third stage. They have enacted the Right to Services Act. I think, it is high time our State also brings in such legislation so that public servants do not exhibit lethargy in their work.

Let’s expose manual scavenging, not be a party to shameless act

Q: Recently I witnessed an incident of manual scavenging in my locality. I was shocked to notice that it was not executed by some private party but by the civic body. This is despite a clear-cut ban on manual scavenging. The contractor involved justified that the British-era sewer can’t be cleaned with manhole desilting machines and that human intervention is the only option. He claimed that only when all the wastewater disposal systems are replaced with modern ones can they avoid using humans to clear blocks in the sewers. Isn’t this a lame excuse or a practical challenge that needs to be overcome? ­— R Balaraman, Chennai

A: Carrying manually the night soil is banned under a law. There are hefty fines and imprisonment are prescribed. Yet the shameless act continues right under the nose of civic authorities. Once Supreme Court took suo motu action based on a Chennai newspaper photo showing a worker removing the scum from a manhole. After the TN government apologised, it was let off. I think, every time such an incident happens, we must expose it. On the other hand, people do not even express shock and are just happy that their wastewater lines are cleared.