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Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board

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1.GRIEVANCES, COMPLAINTS AND REDRESSAL MECHANISM

The Board is constantly working towards the goal of providing equitable adequate quantity of good quality water to the consumers in Chennai City and for effective disposal of sewage generated in the operational area. Towards successful and satisfied service needs, the Board has formulated and established various Grievance Redressal mechanisms with the objective of transparency in providing services to the citizens. The Board also welcomes Consumer comments, suggestions and inputs which shall enable improvement of service delivery and achieve efficiency in its operations. On receipt, the Board shall investigate it and report back to the complainant and do all that can be done to solve the problems and shall strive to address the issue as efficiently and effectively as possible. The different methods for registering the complaints are stated below:

1.1 24X 7 Complaint Cell
1.2 Introduction of Automated complaint monitoring system.
1.3 E-mail complaints
1.4 Open House Meetings
1.5 Mudhalvarin Mugavari Dept., Petitions.
1.6 Mobile APP for Grievance Redressal System
1.7 Social Media
1.8 National Help line number “14420”
1.9 Toll free number “1916”

1.1 24 x 7 COMPLAINT CELL:

  • Complaints are received at the Board’s Head Office round the clock at Complaint Cell and communicated over mobile phone to the respective Depot Engineers.
  • Online web based system was introduced for receipt of online complaints. After receipt of complaint, a unique reference no. will be automatically generated and sent to consumers through SMS as well as Depot Engineers.
  • Telephone No. 45674567,14420,1916(Toll free) and 28454040 have been provided to the Complaint Cell which facilitate the consumers to lodge their complaints without any difficulty.
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  • Complaints are registered and immediately forwarded to the respective Area Office / Depot Office / SAO through the computer network.
  • Mobile App complaint registering facilities were provided to the public, so that the Depot Engineers / Area Senior Accounts Officers/ Area Engineers / other Officers will easily identify the location and exact problem to attend the complaint immediately. After redress the issue will post the completion report with photos.

1.2 INTRODUCTION OF AUTOMATED COMPLAINT MONITORING SYSTEM

  • This is another feather in the cap for the Board in the matter of service delivery and redressal of complaints. For speedy redressal of complaints/grievance petitions, a web based system has been introduced for the benefit of consumers.
  • Computer terminals for all Depot offices (Division Offices), all Deputy Area Engineers, all Area Engineers, Grievance Cell and senior officers of the Board have been provided.
  • Consumers can lodge their complaints on Operation and Maintenance of water supply and sewerage disposal, Tax and Charges and other General grievances through the website of Chennai Metro Water https://cmwssb.tn.gov.in
  • The complainant gets the Complaint Registration No. as soon as a complaint is registered in the website of the Board through SMS.
  • The complaint lodged will be communicated to the Depot Engineer/ Senior Accounts Officer through SMS immediately through online within a maximum time of 3 minutes in order to redress the complaint/petition immediately.
  • The New complaint monitoring system is linked with the maximum time limit for redressal given in the Citizen Charter.
  • The new system of complaint monitoring facilitates, provision were given for escalation of complaint to the higher officers if not properly redressed within the time limit.
  • Online complaints are attended immediately by the respective Officers and reply for action taken are sent to the complainant through SMS.
  • All the senior officers can view the pending complaints for any locations for any period. This facilitates monitoring of speedy redressal of complaints/ grievance petitions from the consumers.

1.3 Email Complaints

All department and area offices are having exclusive email id’s which are published in the website. The General public raised complaints through mail and address to M.D/Exe.Dir/G.M and GR&FO. It has been forwarded to concerned location for proper reply. After receipt of proper reply from the field officer, the same will be published to public.

1.4 Open House Meetings :

  • Most of the issues stated above do not involve one to one interaction of the consumers with the Board’s Officers (except in person filing of complaints). In order to here the grievances of the consumers with a one-to-one interaction, the Board had implemented the scheme of Open House Meeting, These Meetings are normally conducted on all the 2nd Saturdays of every month in all Fifteen Area Offices between 10.00 A.M. and 1.00 P.M.
  • Public, all Voluntary Organisations, Consumer Action Groups, Residents Associations & Representatives of all other concerned Interested Groups working in the Area are invited through Press Release.
  • Senior Officers of the Board (S.E Level) are posted as presiding Officers for the Open House Meetings.
  • Open House Meeting enable the participant public / customers to meet the officers and represent their grievances in person.
  • Open House Meeting enable the participant Public / consumers for sharing and contributing in the decision making by offering opinion / advice and suggestions for system improvement wherever necessary.
  • Minutes for the Open House Meetings are prepared and redressal of petitions / complaints received in the Open House Meeting are monitored.

1.5. Mudhalvarin Mugavari Dept., Petitions.

The Hon’bleChief Minister of TamilNadu, launched a new scheme “Ungal Thoguthiyil Mudhal Amaichar” (The Hon’ble Chief Minister in your constituency), has been launched vide G.O No.269,dated 07.05.2021. Under this scheme, Govt formed a new department to address all complaints of the people within 100 days.

In the continuation, Mudhalvarin Mugavari Department has been launched with integration of all the complaint redressal system to address complaints of the people.

1.6 Mobile APP for Grievance Redressal System

1.7 Social Media:

CMWSSB has also established connection to the general public through social media viz., twitter and Facebook. The complaints posted on social media is monitored through a special team. The complaints are received and forwarded to the concerned departments. The feedback is posted back again after redressal.

1.8 National Help line number “14420”

To prevent the unsafe practices being adopted for cleaning/ maintenance of septic tank & sewer machine holes viz. non-wearing of safety mask, gloves and unauthorized entry into the septic tank/sewer machine holes, the Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs has launched “SafaimitraSuraksha Challenge” for mechanizing of all sewer and septic tank cleaning operations in the cities and created a dedicated 24x7 National helpline number for the use of the Citizens to register their complaints through any phones. The National helpline number “14420” has been introduced and functioning at call centre of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board on 24x7 basis.

1.9 Toll free number “1916”

Toll free number “1916” at free of cost for consumer to register the water/sewer allied complaint also installed at complaint cell

2. FUNCTIONS OF GRIEVANCE CELL:

 

  • The Grievance Cell functions at Head Office, which handles all types of Grievances.
  • All the complaints / grievances on General Complaints (Water Supply & Sewerage), Tax & Charges, Vigilance Complaints, Request of the Employees etc. are registered at Grievance Cell.
  • The petitions received from the CM helpline, The Hon’bleChief Minister’s Special Cell, Office of the Minister for Municipal Administration, Rural Development and Implementation of Special Programme, Office of the Mayor, MA&WS Dept. (Secretariat), Office of the Managing Director, Executive Director, Senior Officers of the Board, Government of India petitions, E-mail Complaints, through Mail Section of the Board are also registered at Grievance Cell.
  • The petitions received at Grievance Cell are immediately forwarded to the concerned officer / department for redressal and corrective measures are being taken. Follow up action and replies are sent to the petitioner with a copy to Grievance Cell.
  • Monitoring of the action taken on petitions is closely carried out by Grievance Cell and periodical review report submitted to the Senior Officers of the Board.
  • This application enables Citizens to report issues to the Board authorities any time, quickly and conveniently using a smart phone. Citizens are receive the status updates on the issues, which they reported.The consumer can download the Mobile App through the link:(https://play.google.com/store/apps/dev?id=6530341116498923135.)
  • Introduction of this facility has largely improved the operational efficiency of the Board in terms of reporting of the problem and addressing the same with specific picture.