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.