The letter from the lady with gloves

Practical Case Study

Amidst all the tasks that one has to do, garbage disposal is one that is quite close to my heart.

As usual the garbage woman comes and rings the bell. That is quite normal. However, it was surprising to see that, today she came along with another woman to deliver a letter that reads as follows:

"To,

Mr. / Mrs. ______

Sector _______

Building _______

Flat No. _______

Sub: Warning notice for violation of wet and dry segregation of garbage

Dear resident,

We have observed that the waste / garbage coming from your flat is in mixed condition. For your reference, please find attached the information on how the garbage should be kept on every morning with this notice.

We request you to follow the instructions given to segregate the wet and dry waste.

Now onwards,

1. We may not pick up your garbage in case the waste is found in mixed state from your apartment.
2. You should not keep today's mixed waste outside your apartment at the common area. You need to segregate today's waste in wet and dry waste bins and give to housekeeping staff tomorrow.
3. There will be a fine of ___ INR for each instance of not giving the wet and dry waste separately to housekeeping staff. This amount shall be paid via the MyGate App or at the office of the society that is specific to the location of the building.

Thank you,

Warm regards,

[ Insert name of the building ]

Office Manager [ Insert the number ]

Client Signature : _______

Date: ________

This was just page one. When I turned the page, there was more from the office of the society. I was quite elated to read the contents of the next page. This is because, the next page illustrated the garbage pickup routine step by step.

1. Housekeeping staff will collect the garbage starting from the top most floors towards the ground floor of the building. Every resident will keep wet and dry garbage separately in dustbin outside their door before 9 AM. It must be noted that, keeping garbage outside overnight is not a good practice.
2. By 9:15 AM, housekeeping staff will start collection of garbage and _______ by segregating the same in to wet and dry garbage as per the garbage collection norms. All collected garbage of the neighborhood would be place in the common dustbin.
3. Every individual house will keep two different bins for dry and wet garbage.
4. Garbage collection would be done by housekeeping team door to door on a daily basis.
5. Segregation of garbage at source, wet and dry waste, by every flat owner is necessary as per the Supreme Court Directives & Municipal Solid Waste ______ 2000, under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986.
6. Total collected wet and dry garbage shall be disposed. It is important to know the classification of dry and wet garbage.

a. Wet waste is called as bio-degradable waste. Such waste can be converted to _____. Examples of wet waste include, kitchen waste, vegetables and fruit peels, leftover food, coconut and egg shells, fish and meat, leaves, dry flowers, garden waste, sanitary napkin that is properly wrapped, dippers & so on.

b. Dry waste is called as non-degradable waste. Such waste can be recycled. Examples include plastic, glass, paper, polythene bags, bottles, cans, tins, tetra packs, _______, cardboard, wrappers, ______, rubber, tubes & tyres, batteries & _____, waste & so on.

Theory

Dys-functionalities in public systems management arises when there is no communication between the government, i.e., provider of services and citizens, i.e, passive recipients. For instance, My Gate App is a mobile application which facilitates easier and faster redressal of grievances related to waste collection from the doorsteps of residents to its ultimate destination. The residents of a closed gated society are used to a routine wherein "safai karmacharis" are used to collecting waste floor wise. There shall be a dys-functionality when this service is not delivered.

There are two ways to look at it. Firstly, as per the technocratic and managerial approach that is associated with service delivery. In the instant case, My Gate App merely acts as a facilitator in providing services, i.e., "supply" of service. On the other hand, the other way of looking at this issue of service delivery is to view this issue as a means wherein citizens contribute to the political and participatory process that favor the citizens' voice or demand size of services. This requires employing strategies in order to fix the challenges that is currently being faced by the public systems management.

The following paragraphs illustrate the different strategies, namely:

1. Communication channels that make it easier for a public service "agency" to increase their receptivity to the views, complaints and suggestions of "service users". This continuous feedback shall enable the public service provider in brainstorming changes in multiple arenas, namely culture and service delivery patterns so that an appropriate product is delivered.

The main problem arises when changes are brought about keeping the concerns of the "socially powerful interest groups" as opposed to investing in building appropriate infrastructure so that the concerns of the poor are addressed. The social groups, including the poor and socially excluded group's concerns when addressed may lead to transformation in the bureaucratic behavior generally. This will promote "counter-cultural" reforms. The aforesaid proposal by Goetz and Gaventa in 2001 is flawed. This is because it assumes "willingness" on the part of the public service provider to account for response from local environment that provides a "sympathetic ear" to demands by "articulate" service users. If the upper range of the State is willing to merely "encourage" and "accommodate" the demands, then that shall not be considered as being responsive.

2. Proactively initiating services for the benefit of the vulnerable namely groups of the society that are inarticulate and are not normally able to voice their concerns effectively. These include:

a. Organized protests that falls within the limits of the Constitution;

b. Lodging complaints;

c. Picketing, i.e., form of protest where people congregate outside a place of work or location where an event is taking place. The most common form of picketing is consultations that is adopted before passing a new law; and

d. Lobbying via education.

The strategies will also vary depending on the education level and financial status of those citizens being governed.

As per Goetz and Gaventa, the process of consultation would enable the service provider, i.e., a developmental state in understanding the expectations of consumers. In simple terms, the service provider would be able to identify the gaps where new policies can be made.

The following questionnaire may be used:

a. Is there adequate means to monitor the demands of the citizens?

b. Are there any ways to incentivize the citizens that would encourage them to voice their concerns?

c. For a specific geography, what are the parameters on the basis of which a choice will be made between imposing sanctions and encouraging and measuring performance by giving them a hike in pay and giving them promotion?

d. Can the "ethos" for delivering "new services" be drafted?

e. Would a "result" oriented performance target work in all sectors including financial solutions delivery?

f. Is there a possibility of creating "new legal rights" wherein a service user can initiate legal proceedings against the State, if unsatisfactory or deficient services are delivered?

Last but not the least, these strategies if implemented would lead to transparent governance, enabling other stakeholders like policy makers and development agencies in assessing if and to what extent the national commitments of a State have / have not led to the social development of particular groups.

To conclude the approach of putting a "Charter" in place from the perspective of service provider would enable grievance redressal mechanism.

Note: This is a part of the Viral Note Series ("VNS") that is authored by me.