The Hindu              14.02.2014

Waste collection charge does not go down well with traders

The Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangakalin Peramaippu has appealed to the Tiruchirapalli City Corporation to reduce the service charge for solid waste collection and handling and not insist on paying the levy for renewal of Dangerous and Offensive (D&O) trade licences.

The organisation had expressed strong resentment over the increase in service charge for solid waste collection and handling.

The service charge has been increased for commercial establishments such as hotels, hospitals, tea shops, and roadside eateries and marriage halls in the city after the council approved it last year.

Star hotels would have to pay the maximum service charge of Rs. 60 a day instead of the existing annual fee of Rs. 3,600. Cinema halls, small workshops, and sticker shops (of less than 1,000 square feet in area) would attract the minimum at Rs. 4 a day.

All other establishments generating solid wastes in the city would be required to pay the service charge at the rates approved by the council.

The corporation had justified the increase in view of the increase in the salary of sanitary workers, diesel price, and other operational costs involved in clearing solid wastes from the establishments.

In a representation submitted to Corporation Commissioner V.P. Thandapani at a meeting here on Tuesday, the organisation said the civic body’s insistence on paying the service charge for renewing their D&O licence had put traders under tremendous financial strain. The increase in the levy had put a heavy burden on traders, it said.

Ve. Govindarajalu, treasurer of the organisation, said the revised charges was too high and urged Mr. Thandapani to defer the collection of the service charge or reduce the charges.

Responding to the traders’ pleas, Mr. Thandapani said the corporation had been spending about Rs. 15 crore a year for solid waste collection and management and the service charge from traders would only contributed about Rs. 72 lakh a year.

Urging traders to pay the levy, at least in instalments, and cooperate with the civic body, Mr.Thandapani however said the corporation would be willing to consider changes in the charges if it was felt to be too high for specific categories.

The corporation had to comply with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court on solid waste management and disposal, he pointed out. The civic body would soon make arrangements for collection of garbage directly from traders premises at their convenience, he added.