The Council that met here on Friday approved the agenda of the Finance Standing Committee to remit Rs 25,000 a year for a mobile tower, modelling on the Property Tax Rules 2009 existent in Bangalore city.

The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation had so far not fixed any rates as property tax for mobile towers. Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash said that earlier, the Centre had revised norms in such a way as to collect Rs one lakh per year from BSNL and Rs 2 lakh per year from private service providers. But this verdict was given a stay by the Supreme Court, after which Rs 25,000 was decided as the yearly rate. Karnataka has implemented property tax in this method in its urban planning manual, which Thiruvananthapuram Corporation will model on.

The request of some councillors to set up a committee to inquire into the environmental and health hazards of mobile towers was turned down by the Mayor, citing lack of the Corporation’s expertise in the area. ``However, the concern of the councillors on the sprouting of mobile towers in every ward will be informed to the State Government,’’ Mayor C. Jayan Babu said.

He also said that the Corporation would look into the unauthorised setting up of mobile towers in the city. Many councillors said that a big revenue loss is happening to the Corporation income due to lack of a proper rule to collect tax for setting up mobile towers.

‘NO’ TO FILM SHOOTING

The Council also decided to say ‘no’ to film and serial-makers who approach it asking permission to use the parks owned by the Corporation for shooting purposes. The Mayor said that the local body has been spending huge amounts on the renovation of parks. Moreover, Corporation parks are meant for the common public who could use it for strolls and recreation. Giving them out for shooting would prove a menace to the public, the Mayor said.

OLD BUILDINGS

The Corporation is thinking of ways to count the old buildings in the city which need immediate restoration, Jayan Babu said. The shortage of engineers in the Town Planning Department has affected the planning of any steps in this direction, he said. The Corporation has taken two engineers from Trida on a working arrangement to fill the gap, the Mayor added.