Executive Committee Meeting: Quality of New Buildings, Individual Construction, and Housing and Communal Services Issues Analyzed
The head of the Vitebsk region, Nikolai Sherstnev, drew special attention to these aspects for the region's management asset at a recent meeting of the regional executive committee. The agenda included two interconnected issues – the implementation of the "Comfortable Housing" program and the fulfillment of housing construction targets. One of the most important indicators of the state of these areas is the analysis of citizens' appeals received through the authorities' "hotlines". As a rule, most of them point to housing and communal services issues, the condition of new buildings, and difficulties in constructing individual housing.
According to Yuri Dyadyolo, head of the main department of housing and communal services of the regional executive committee, there has recently been an increase in complaints about the quality of commissioned apartment buildings.
— If a complex of problems emerges after a new house is occupied, it means all services have failed to do their job. And such phenomena must be combated, namely, by forcing the creation of a quality facility and adhering to strict requirements during its acceptance, — emphasized Nikolai Sherstnev. — There are enough difficulties with old houses, which, judging by citizens' appeals, we sometimes cannot even manage to resolve in time.
Similar requirements were also voiced regarding the organization of individual housing construction. According to the assessment of the chairman of the regional executive committee, local authorities authorized to work with the population in this area often limit themselves to half-measures. Nikolai Sherstnev ordered to bring issues to a logical conclusion, not only by defining territories for individual housing construction but also by providing them with the necessary engineering and transport infrastructure, and financially supporting their decisions.
— It is understandable that these are not simple issues. But people want to build, so the authorities must meet them halfway and be consistent in their actions. And then there will be no problems with fulfilling housing assignments. At the same time, one should not forget: if the state judges the Vitebsk region by the performance indicators, then the residents judge by the level of comfort of life in the region and by the attitude of government officials towards them, — noted Nikolai Sherstnev.
As reported by Alexander Shidlovsky, Chairman of the Committee for Architecture and Construction of the Regional Executive Committee, based on the results of the half-year, the target for the construction of apartment buildings was fulfilled by 28.7%, and individual houses – by 41.7%. The cost of 1 sq. m of living space was 1047 rubles. The pace of construction is slowed down by the inability to fully equip new buildings with co-investors, which is especially relevant for regional centers, and this can lead to the emergence of long-term construction projects. In Polotsk and Novopolotsk, the possibilities for construction on existing sites have been exhausted, and new microdistricts need to be prepared. For this, it is necessary to thoroughly work out the general plans of the cities, including financing issues.
In 2020, the situation with the development of engineering and transport infrastructure in the territories designated for individual housing construction must be corrected. The adjustment of plans and programs must be carried out in such a way that it becomes possible to bring the share of individual construction to 40% of the total housing commissioning in the region. At the same time, plots for such areas should be formed, including on the banks of rivers and lakes, added Alexander Shidlovsky.
Analyzing the implementation of the State Program "Comfortable Housing and a Favorable Living Environment," Yuri Dyadyolo, Head of the Main Department of Housing and Communal Services of the Regional Executive Committee, noted that the costs of providing services in the industry decreased in comparable conditions by 6% compared to the same period in 2018, with a target of at least 5%. The economic effect of such cost reduction amounted to about 4.8 million rubles, including energy saving measures, optimization of the number of employees, and a number of other areas of activity.
In the next 2-3 years, one of the most pressing issues in the Vitebsk region will be resolved – ensuring the population with high-quality drinking water. The program, implemented with the support of international organizations, provides for the construction of 250 iron removal stations. In addition, by the end of the current year, the task of capital repair of housing will be completed, and solutions will be found for the implementation of plans for replacing elevators that have served their normal term. Issues of improving the municipal waste management system remain under special control.