The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2024
The Government of Tamil Nadu published Bill No. 6 of 2024, titled the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2024, in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary on 21 February 2024, after its introduction in the Legislative Assembly on the same date. The Bill proposes controls on the collection, transport and disposal of faecal sludge and septage within panchayat limits, including duties for building owners and occupiers. The Bill would commence only on a date appointed by the State Government through a notification.
What the Bill changes
Bill No. 6 of 2024 proposes to amend the Tamil Nadu Panchayats Act, 1994 by inserting a provision on the management of faecal sludge and septage. The Statement of Objects and Reasons, signed by I. Periyasamy, Minister for Rural Development, says the purpose is to prevent unsafe disposal in the open environment and water bodies in Village Panchayat areas.
The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2024 would commence on a date appointed by the State Government through a notification. The source does not provide that commencement date.
Who would be affected
The proposed requirements apply within panchayat limits and affect:
- Owners and occupiers of residential, commercial and institutional buildings.
- Persons and businesses collecting, transporting or disposing of faecal sludge or septage.
- Panchayat and district authorities responsible for licensing, monitoring and enforcement.
Local authorities and statutory boards of the Government would not need a licence for their own collection, transport and disposal operations.
Duties of building owners and occupiers
The Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2024 would require an owner or occupier to:
- Construct septic tanks or other on-site sanitation systems in line with the National Building Code, 2016.
- Arrange regular desludging according to the system's design and operating requirements.
- Use only a person holding a valid licence for collection, transport or disposal.
- Ensure that nobody is engaged, directly or indirectly, in prohibited hazardous cleaning of a septic tank or on-site sanitation system.
Licensing, monitoring and enforcement
A person collecting, transporting or disposing of faecal sludge or septage would need a valid licence granted under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act, 1998. Licensees would have to follow notified times, routes and decantation places, maintain a trip log book and submit it before the tenth day of every quarter. A prescribed decantation fee could be charged, up to five hundred rupees per trip.
The Inspector would publish decanting information, an updated licensee list and a complaint mechanism. District monitoring may include inspections or Global Positioning System tracking of specified vehicles.
A first offence could attract a fine up to twenty five thousand rupees. A second or later offence could attract a fine up to fifty thousand rupees. Vehicles and equipment used in an offence may be seized and confiscated, subject to notice and an opportunity to be heard. An affected person may appeal to the Inspector within thirty days.
This summary is generated from the source document to help you find what is relevant. The PDF above is authoritative. For advice on your own property, use LandLens One or speak to a qualified professional.
Common questions
Does the Bill apply to a house with a septic tank in a village panchayat?
Yes. An owner or occupier of a building within panchayat limits would have to maintain the septic tank or on-site sanitation system, arrange regular desludging and use only a licensed operator.
Can I hire any tanker operator to empty my septic tank?
No. The Bill would require owners and occupiers to use a person holding a valid licence for the collection, transport or disposal of faecal sludge and septage.
Is the Tamil Nadu Panchayats (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2024 already in force?
The source presents it as Bill No. 6 of 2024 and states that it would commence on a date appointed by the State Government through a notification. No commencement notification is included in the source.
What can happen if faecal sludge is transported or disposed of illegally?
The Bill provides for fines, possible suspension or cancellation of a licence, and seizure and confiscation of vehicles or equipment used in an offence. A person affected by a confiscation order may appeal to the Inspector within thirty days.
