Govt slams proposal for user charge on garbage collection

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has objected to the joint proposal of the civic bodies to levy “user charge” on residential units and temples among others for door-to-door garbage collection, an official said.

The three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Cantonment Board had approached the Delhi Urban Development Department with a proposal for introducing “user charge” — ranging from Rs. 50 to Rs. 200 per month — for domestic waste generators depending on the category of the locality.

The proposal also includes levying user charge of Rs. 2,000 for collecting garbage from clinics, dispensaries and other places.

In a written comment on the proposal to Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said there is no logic in levying user charge for solid waste management, and added that house tax is collected mainly for this purpose.

‘Obligatory functions’

He said collection of garbage is covered under the “obligatory functions” according to the provisions under Section 42 of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act (66 of 1957).

“Charitable and religious institutions, including temples and dharamsalas need to be exempted from payment of user fee. Residential units in colonies falling in categories C to H prescribed for property tax categorisation should be exempted from the user fee,” Mr. Jain said.

‘Fees too high’

“In case of individual doctors’ clinics, dispensaries, the user fee of Rs. 2,000 is too high and should be limited to Rs. 100,” he added.

The Minister added that in some cases, the proposed user fee would be higher than the property tax being paid by the owner. Currently, garbage collection is outsourced to various contractors who collect waste from ‘ dhalaos ’ or dumps.

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has been made the nodal agency for the proposal.