MCD proposes new sanitation tax for your area’s cleanliness

Those who litter the locality after each social function, beware. MCD will now charge you for cleaning your dirt. HT reports.

Those who litter the locality after each social function, beware. MCD will now charge you for cleaning your dirt. In its budget 2012-2013, Municipal Commissioner KS Mehra has proposed the introduction of a new tax called conservancy charges or sanitation charges, which will be levied to clean the streets after religious functions.

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One of MCD’s primary functions is to maintain the cleanliness of the streets. At present, no excess charges are levied on it. But if the proposal is accepted, an extra charge will have to be borne by the organisers.

According to the proposal, Rs 5,000 will be charged for every langar, bhandara, procession, public meeting, wedding or any other public function. According to Mehra, the money will be spent on cleaning up of the road once the function is over. “After such functions, people leave behind empty plates that dirty the entire street,” said Mehra.

The charges will have to be paid at the time of seeking MCD’s permission. The civic agency expects a revenue of Rs 100 crore through conservancy charge.
Immediately after the commissioner’s budget speech, BJP standing committee chairman said that though he ‘appreciated’ the commissioner’s efforts, there was no question of increasing taxes or levying new ones.