Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Teething troubles plague KWA single window system

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The effective functioning of the ‘single window system’ of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to process and sanction new water connections in the Thiruvananthapuram PH division has been hit by numerous administrative bottlenecks in the Authority.

The new system, inaugurated by Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran on July 17, was supposed to integrate the functioning of all four KWA sub-divisions in the city for speedy sanction of water connections. As on August 4, officials from two sub-divisions — Kowdiar and P.T.P. Nagar — were yet to move into the new office located in the water works compound.

Even though Mr. Premachandran had declared the new system to be ‘single window,’ consumers still have to go to the respective sub-division to remit the required fee for fresh water connections. If they go to the new office, they do not get a computerised receipt. This is because the new office is not linked to other offices of the KWA. Assistant engineers from different sub-divisions have to rush with the day’s collection to their offices to enter the data in the computer system so as to issue a computerised receipt to the consumer.

Executive engineer of Thiruvananthapuram G. Sudev told The Hindu that it would take at least another month for the office of the ‘single window’ system to get linked through computer to other offices of the KWA. Till the n, officials would have to rush back and forth to get a receipt issued.

According to KWA officials, the confusion arose because the system originally was not designed to be a ‘single window’ mechanism but as a centralised collection and processing point for fresh applications. “As per the original plan, four AEs from four sub-divisions were to be posted in the new office to receive applications and open files for consumers. The file would then be sent to the respective sub-division for processing. The sanction would be given by the assistant executive engineer at each sub-division. According to regulations, the connection should be sanctioned by the assistant executive engineer under whose charge the water main concerned comes,” a KWA engineer said. However, after the Minister announced a ‘single window’ system, the KWA had no option but to set up one, he added.

The KWA has now given temporary additional charge of the new office to John Koshy, an assistant executive engineer who heads the ‘projects’ sub-division. “From Monday (August 6), all assistant engineers will be posted at the new office. Consumers can pay the fee here and get manual receipts. I can remit the money into my sub-division’s account,” Mr. Koshy said. One way to tackle administrative problems relating to the new office would be to make it an Account Rendering Unit (ARU) like the other regular sub-divisions of the KWA, Mr. Koshy said. A fresh sub-division — perhaps called the ‘connections’ sub-division — can also be set up to make this new system work effectively, he added.

Whether this new system overcomes the KWA’s administrative bottlenecks to function as a fully integrated ‘single window’ system remains to be seen.

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