A scuffle broke out between police personnel and BJP workers here on Monday during the saffron party’s protest in front of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) protesting the hike in the User Fee.
Carrying banners that highlighted the BMC’s failure in ensuring basic amenities to the city denizens, the protestors, including women, raised slogans against the State Government and the BMC Mayor and Commissioner for the hike in the fee and barged into the office premises by breaking its main gate.
When the police tried to stop them, a scuffle ensued between them leading to lathicharge. The irate workers damaged the entrance gate of the office. However, police later forcibly pushed the workers out of the premises.
“There is no logic on the part of the BMC to collect User Fee. Due to the inefficiency of the BMC authorities, the residents of the capital city have been deprived of their legitimate rights. Unfortunately, the BMC has moreover asked the people to pay the user fee at a higher rate. Why should we pay the revised fee without getting better services,” questioned party State vice-president Sameer Mohanty.
He also charged that the civic body has failed to take up solid waste management for safe disposal of garbage in the city.
BJP Bhubaneswar district unit president Harekrushna Khuntia said the party would stage agitations like road blockade and signature campaign in various parts of the capital from May 1 till withdrawal of the User Fee.
But BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena stated that User Fee collection is inevitable as it is one of the mandatory reforms suggested by the Central Government.
“Previously during the Centre’s JNNURM programme, the civic bodies were asked for collection of User Fee to meet the solid waste management expenses. Interestingly, in the AMRUT programme, the Centre has again instructed the Urban local Bodies to stick to the reform guidelines by collecting User Fee for efficient management of MSW. So, where does illegality come,” questioned the Mayor.
The Mayor added that the BMC would conduct an awareness programme to sensitise people on collection of the User Fee. He said for residential areas the fee would be of three types, Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 200 per household.
However, the monthly BMC meeting on Monday approved a proposal to waive User Fee for the financial year 2015-16. But the corporation stuck to its decision of collecting the fee for the current finance year.