The Brahmapur Municipal Corporation (BMC) at a special meeting on Monday decided to collect additional monthly tax of Rs 30 from each family at a rate of Rs 1 per day towards collection of garbage and waste materials right at the doorstep of each household with effect from April this year.
The BMC is reportedly going to establish the State’s first Solid Waste Management Plant (SWMP) near Mohuda on the outskirts of the city, the construction work of which is to start from April, under the slogan Mo Sahar, Pariskar Sahar under PPP (public-private partnership) mode. The BMC has made an agreement with an Ahmedabad-based firm for the purpose.
Due to the Phailin in October last, construction work of this mega-plant has been delayed by three months, source said. Once construction is completed and the plant is operational, the existing privatisation of cleaning and sanitation works in 18 out of the BMC’s 40 wards would come to an end.
As per the agreement, the Ahmadabad-based firm UPEl would collect the household garbage and take it to the SWM plant for its effective recycling and management by using relevant chemicals to produce compost to be utilised in farming. The BMC would pay the firm Rs 70 lakh every month and deposit three months’ advance amounting to Rs 2.10 crore in the bank account of the firm. If there is delay in payment by the BMC, the monthly dues would automatically be deducted from the advance and deposited in the UPEl’s bank account, sources said.
For construction of the plant, the BMC would get assistance from the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
The BMC convened the special meeting presided over by Mayor K Madhavi where some corporators like Sanghamitra Dalai, Asoka Shukla, Anil Nayak, Surendra Maharana and Mamata Bisoyi strongly opposed the proposed collection of additional tax of Rs 30 per month from each family for collection of garbage and solid wastes.
The city is producing around 150 tonnes of solid wastes and garbage a day, which is expected to increase to 250 tonnes by the year 2030.
For effective solid waste management and to keep the city clean, the Supreme Court and the Central and State Governments have always been advising the urban bodies to set up SWMP projects, said BMC Commissioner Dr Ajit Mishra to the corporators and sought their cooperation for implementation of the scheme.
However, the public seems to be resenting the proposed new taxation. According to a senior citizen, the Government should explore additional fund for the purpose either from the civic body’s internal resources or from the Government. When the people are already paying house tax at a higher rate compared to civic bodies of other States, what is the rationale of collecting additional tax in the name of solid waste management, he questioned.
A resident of Gandhinagar said the BMC should first ensure that all the drains must be kept clean and a free flow of wastewater with removal of solid wastes from each and every drain once in a week and use phenols, anti-mosquito sprays and such other treatments once in a week to save the denizens from mosquitoes.