Part of the Payment for Housing and Communal Services Would Be Taken in the Form of Forced Labour?

The head of the district authority of Northern Butovo Stanislav Pugachev suggested citizens to participate in snow cleaning to solve the problem of cleaning of the Moscow streets. Pugachev placed special address to the locals on portal of his region. "I have big request to you to help and support our utility services in the circumstances concerned… to come out to the yards and to help our yard keepers who really are dropping from fatigue. We wait for those who wish to spend Sunday actively, to get acquainted with interesting people, to breathe fresh air and to work in housing and communal services (even if for one day)," — the official wrote.

After all why not to get acquainted with interesting people in orange vests? Why not to save on fitness and not to work with a shovel one day for the benefit of hometown? The more so having arrived to the country house, where there are no Tajiks and yard keepers, you take shovel and clean both paths, a parking and the way to it yourself. It’s much more, than the patch near entrance door.

I was already to take out shovel from a luggage carrier and to rush to help municipal economy, but opened mailbox and found there the receipt for payment of housing and communal services. Well, the total amount is exactly 1 thousand rubles more, than last year. Here you are itemized: there’s not bad sum in 1400 rubles in the column which contains repair of living space which, as far as I can understand, includes cleaning round the house. This month it is 100 rubles more, than in the past. For some reason I don’t think that district authorities will share with me this money which they get from me regularly irrespective of snow or sunny weather. Nobody ever tell me how this money are spend – it used to happen at damned Soviet socialism that residents received such reports and the sums of a rent were, frankly speaking, cheap (about 10 percent from the minimum wage). For some reason that sums were enough, while now money doesn't suffice...

Let’s take at least excess 100 rubles in the column "maintenance and repair". There are 250 apartments in our house that is 25 thousand rubles "in excess of the plan". It’s quite enough to employ additional yard keeper, but for some reason it doesn’t happen. The same about "dropping from fatigue". However, they are ready to drop not under my windows, probably, in special places known to the authorities - half an hour ago I saw four Uzbeks who came out from… Aleshkinsky forest with songs, in orange vests and with shovels on shoulders. As I understood, someone directed them to clean forest paths. While there are no yard keepers under my windows. It means that they clean forest paths on my money and I, having paid for the work of yard keepers under my windows, am obliged to work with shovel in free time after the work?

Whether I have reasons to consider that the money got from me goes where it should instead of being plundered by cunning and quirky people?

Here you are a message: "Law enforcement bodies of Moscow caught the head of Northern Medvedkovo Mikhail Mikhaylov red-handed when receiving a bribe. High-ranking official promised some company to provide victory in the competition "on the conclusion of the contract in the sphere of housing and communal services" for reward of 3,5 million rubles”.

One more message: "Law enforcement bodies of the capital detained the first deputy prefect of the Southern Federal district of Moscow and his three accomplices for extortion of 2 million rubles from businessman for non-cancellation of the state contract and providing of victories in new tenders, news agency RIA Novosti reports with reference to the press service of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia".

Here you are where money got from me "for housing and communal services" goes. If it isn't a pity to waste millions on bribes, if it isn't terrible to go to prison, what the size of profit even of the most modest office at the level of the district authority is?

So, I thought it over and decided: mister Pugachev, take shovel and clean snow yourself – it’s your city, not mine. To put it mildly, you "privatized" it. Or, as people say now, “sobyaninized”.

Misters, I render you tribute which surpass maintenance of my housing in times (for 14 years payment for housing and communal services grew 30 times!). You spend this money on buying "Mercedes", elite apartments and still have remains to buy foreign real estate. Now you offer me except paying quitrent to go out for forced labour?

Fuck away, misters!

Anatoly Baranov, editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk

Send by mail

Print