‘Several hundred complaints a week — unauthorised landfills in self-build area’

Naberezhnye Chelny got carried away with facades, elevators are changed less often

Members of the Committee on Housing Policy and Infrastructure Development of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan in full force visited Naberezhnye Chelny, where they conducted a “raid” in the course of the implementation of the housing overhaul programme. Naberezhnye Chelny is the second city after Kazan in terms of the amount of allocations for the renovation of the housing stock. This year, the estimated cost has increased to 1.5 billion rubles, while the total budget of the republican programme has slightly exceeded 8 billion.

At the same time, the lion's share of resources of 6.5 billion rubles is the funds of the population collected as payments for the service. So, theoretically, the “first violin” in controlling the overhaul maintenance should be assigned to residents, but in fact, the municipal authorities are in charge.

So, Tatarstan deputies were shown the results of major repairs of several apartment buildings. Heating networks and water pipes have been updated in the residential building on Hasana Tufana Prospekt, 4. Unexpectedly, parliamentarians found “built-in” garbage chutes in the house, after which they began to ask residents if they wanted to dismantle them. Residents stood “to the death” — do not touch, let them stay. The apartment building on Shamilya Usmanova Street, 1 is a former KAMAZ dormitory. This year, the city authorities agreed on an estimate for facade insulation with a total cost of 22 million rubles.

“What guarantee does the contractor give for the facade?" asked Andrey Egorov. “For 5 years, if it fades, we will invite you to redo it," they reported to him. The tour took place calmly, but later at the meeting, the head of the Municipal Engineering Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan, Airat Abuzyarov, criticised the authorities of the city that they were more interested in facades and pipes, and elevators were changed much less often. It immediately became known that starting next year regional funds can centralise the procurement of materials, taking this function away from contractors. The latter are not happy about this, believing that it is better to see on the spot. “The experiment on the centralisation of purchases this year took place during the renovation of schools, what results have not yet been announced," one of the contractors told Realnoe Vremya. Later, the head of the committee, Andrey Egorov, said that the issue of centralisation of purchases would be resolved “as required by law”.

Overhaul fee will be increased within 10%

Ayrat Abuzyarov raised the issue of the need to increase the payment for overhaul housing repairs at a visiting meeting of the relevant committee of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan. “Last year, we raised the fee by 10% to 7.7 rubles per square metre. We would like the dynamics to remain, but there is a promise to raise the tariff by more than 10 percent so that the programme is sustainable," he said. According to him, this is the lowest tariff in the Volga Region: “Everywhere it has long been close to 10 rubles, not to mention Moscow and St. Petersburg. This should be done systematically so as not to cause negative reaction.”

But having not met with support, he said that the allocated funds provide for the tasks of major housing repairs. “In 2024, it is planned to repair 763 apartment buildings forming the capital repair fund on the account of the regional operator," he added.

The financial volume of the programme is 8 billion 468 million rubles (the budget of the Republic of Tatarstan is 1 billion 364 million, the budget of the Ministry of Defence is 1 billion 72 million, citizens' funds are 6 billion 32 million). Forty-one municipalities participate in the programme, the programme provides for more than 3 thousand types of work. As in the previous year, it is planned to replace 240 elevators in 89 apartment buildings. Later, Andrey Egorov assured that an increase in the service fee from next year is possible within 10%.

Punishing with fines

Anyway, the main topic on the agenda was changes in federal legislation in the field of MSW management. According to Andrey Egorov, by order of Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Farid Mukhametshin, an interdepartmental working group has been established, which is preparing proposals to the State Duma. The first package of amendments was sent on 1 June, and the second is being prepared.

First of all, Tatarstan deputies want to equalise working conditions in the private sector and multi-apartment residential buildings in terms of waste management. It is proposed to punish “gray carriers” with fines in the amount of 350 thousand rubles. “Several hundred complaints a week — unauthorised landfills in the self-build area, the problem has not been solved," said Alexander Tygin, the head of the State Housing Inspectorate of the Republic of Tatarstan. “Legislative regulation should be the same, self-build and apartment buildings should be regulated in the same way. Why is there a fine of 350 thousand in a residential building, but in the self-build area — it is necessary to call? In residential areas, it is strictly regulated, but in self-build area — in no way, all hope is in parliament. Yesterday, we sent a letter on tightening administrative responsibility to the self-build area, this is fundamental.”

The Chief Housing inspector of the Republic of Tatarstan is confident that the regional operator in the field of solid waste management has no right to “philosophise” in the application of an administrative measure: “Why do we need a citizen's statement if we see a mountain of garbage and who is to blame? Let's move on.”