Trial run for online system for septage collection: 17 requests processed in 1 week

Thiruvananthapuram: A week after the city corporation launched the trial run of online booking system for septage collection in the city, 17 requests were processed by the health wing. The corporation authorities are hopeful that the number would increase in the days to come.
The convenience of the system has so far earned praise from city residents who till now had to wait for days or sometimes months under the old system. The other option was to have unlicensed sewage collectors who would charge exorbitantly and dump the sewage in water bodies or by the road side.
The system functions based on septage receiving operation and maintenance by-law, which was approved by the corporation council in 2018. The civic body pitched the by-law to prevent the practice of private tankers dumping septage in water bodies and by the road side.
The corporation has been issuing licenses for online-based collection of septage to private tankers and so far seven vehicles have been enrolled in the system. Licensed vehicles will be painted dark brown and will be fitted with GPS. There will be a label in white color denoting that it is a septage collection vehicle.
The applications received online will be forwarded to license holders through a software. The vehicles will collect septage from the spot and take it to sewage treatment plant at Muttathara.
Corporation’s Smart Trivandrum app can be used for online booking. User fee will have to be paid online. The applicant will receive a one-time password upon online booking. The trip pass will also be issued to the driver of the vehicle simultaneously. The OTP received by the applicant shall be handed over to the driver at the spot of collection of septage. The beneficiary can record feedback through the app once the septage is collected in the tanker. Once the work is done, the amount will be transferred to the driver’s account from corporation. A control room has been enabled in corporation office to facilitate the system. The call centre will also function from 7am to 5pm. The call centre number is 9496434488.
The tanker owners and contractors will have to register their vehicles at a cost of Rs 1,000 and a deposit amount of Rs 10,000. An agreement has to be signed with the corporation secretary and registration will be limited to two per person. The registration shall have to be renewed annually and fitness certificate will have to be produced.
The council has also approved slab-based user fee for availing transport of sewage from source. An amount of Rs 3,000 will be charged for tankers with a capacity of 5,000 litres ( slab 1). Between 5,000 and 7,500 litres (slab 2), the amount will be Rs 4,000 and for tankers with a capacity of 7,500 to 10,000 litres, the amount shall be Rs 6,000.