MC fixes rates for garbage collection in Chandigarh

Final approval on May 30: MC house to decide whether the charges will be added to water or sewerage bill

For the first time in history, the municipal corporation (MC) has fixed the amount for garbage collection in residential and commercial establishments. Charges will be added to water, sewerage or property tax bills.

Hotels and restaurants produce more than five tonnes of garbage everyday in Chandigarh. (HT File Photo)

The agenda will be placed in the House meeting scheduled on May 30 for the final approval.

Rs 50 per month has been proposed for type 12, type 13 government houses. Likewise, type 9,10, 11 government house owners will be required to pay Rs 100 per month. Rs 100 has been proposed for private houses those are less than 7 marla.

Charges for commercial establishments have also been proposed. Booths will be requires to Rs 50 and restaurant ground floor Rs 150 per bay per floor.

In the last House meeting, MC commissioner Baldeo Purushartha assured of having a uniform rate for garbage collection in the city.

Hotels and restaurants produce more than five tonnes of garbage.

MC medical officer health Dr Parminder Bhatti said, “According to the plan, a society of some officers and other members will be constituted. Garbage collectors can register themselves with the society. Society will pay the money to the garbage collectors and they will not collect from owners. MC house will decide whether to add charges with water or sewerage bill.”

He added, “We have been receiving several complaints from the residents, saying there is no uniform rate. Now, it will be mandatory for all house owners and shopkeepers to pay the amount unlike earlier when they threw garbage on our own,” he said.

In 2012, the MC started pilot project of door-to-door garbage collection in Sector 22 on the same pattern, but was scrapped the same month, after the MC accepted the demands of private garbage collectors, who were protesting against it.

On April 23 same year, after the directions of the Punjab and Haryana high court, the municipal corporation of Chandigarh started door-to-door garbage collection in Sector 22, but the protest forced the authorities concerned to scrap the project.

THE PLAN

Society of some officials will be constituted

Garbage collectors will register themselves with society

Society will directly pay money to collectors

House owners will pay through either water or sewerage bill