Dmitry Demidov: "The task before everyone is to ensure that the activities of housing and communal services are as effective as possible and aimed at solving people's real problems"
As reported by Yuri Dyadyolo, Head of the Main Department of Housing and Communal Services of the Regional Executive Committee, out of 14 target indicators, one has not been fulfilled – "commissioning of total area of residential buildings after major repairs". This is primarily due to a lack of funding, with a shortage of 32 million rubles. Currently, the issue of financing on a parity basis – in equal shares from the republican budget and local budgets – is being discussed at the government level. At the last session of the regional council, 2 million rubles were allocated to Vitebsk. There are developments in Novopolotsk and Polotsk. In total, 5 million rubles have been raised from local budgets for these purposes in the region. By the way, about 160 apartment buildings with a total area of 410-490 thousand square meters are majorly repaired annually in the Vitebsk region. In total, over three years, 280.5 million rubles were allocated for major repairs of the housing stock, including 160.2 million from local budgets.
In multi-story buildings, 535 elevators that have exceeded their normal service life have been replaced.
To improve the quality of service to the population, a 24/7 contact center with the short number 115 has been established, ensuring reliable accounting of all received complaints and proper control over the elimination of shortcomings in the work of housing and communal services organizations. Over three years, the indicator for reducing the number of complaints has been met in the region as a whole. However, in 2023, a significant increase compared to 2020 was observed in Gorodok, Vitebsk, Polotsk, Orsha districts, and Vitebsk.
During the reporting period, over two hundred water deferrization stations were built in the settlements of the Vitebsk region. The level of quality water supply for subscribers connected to the housing and communal services (HCS) system is 99.4%. 336 km of water supply networks with overdue service life were replaced, which significantly exceeded the target.
As part of import substitution, the conversion of gas-fired boiler houses to local types of fuel (LTF) is of particular importance for reducing the costs of heat supply services. The Vitebsk region is a leader in the use of LTF, with their share in the fuel balance of HCS enterprises being 74.2%.
The collection of solid municipal waste (SMW) is increasing. Waste sorting plants have been built in Vitebsk and Orsha. The construction of the "Novopolotsk Regional Complex for SMW Management" has begun, which will serve three districts.
In order to increase the collection of secondary material resources and comply with environmental standards for SMW disposal, HCS enterprises are constantly updating their material base.
The coverage of the population with separate waste collection is 88%. The closure of garbage chutes in multi-story buildings and the creation of separate SMW collection sites are ongoing. At the beginning of the year, garbage chutes were closed in 548 buildings.
According to the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Dmitry Demidov, the housing and communal services sector fundamentally affects social stability in society. HCS is a kind of mirror of the authorities, and people often draw conclusions about the work of government bodies based on the work of a specific housing and maintenance department or a master. Therefore, everyone faces the task of making HCS activities as effective as possible and focused on solving people's real problems.
The head of the deputy corps noted that the figures and statistical data show that the state program is being successfully implemented in the Vitebsk region. Nevertheless, many issues remain, as evidenced by citizens' appeals to the 115 service, and it is difficult for these people to explain that the HCS system is working satisfactorily.
– The main goal of the discussion is to identify problematic issues, summarize the best practices of cities, districts, and utility companies in certain areas, in order to scale up effective work to other regions, – emphasized Dmitry Demidov.
Photo by Dmitry OSIPOV.