The ‘garbage tax’ proposed by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has kicked up a controversy. The Centre has allowed imposition of garbage tax as part of Swachh Survekshan. The civic body officials have decided to collect Rs. 600 Crore through this tax. However, the move is being opposed strongly by ruling party leaders as well as opposition parties.
Already house tax, drainage cess, drinking water tax and vacant land taxes are being collected by the VMC. Garbage tax is a component of both house / property tax and service tax. “If we collect garbage tax too, people will revolt against us,” a ruling party leader is said to have told the officials. Following resistance even from YSRCP leaders, the VMC officials are said to be on the horns of dilemma over the tax.
A source of revenue
Corporation authorities have prepared plans to collect Rs. 100 from households who mix dry and wet garbage and Rs 50 from those who separate dry and wet garbage every month. But it is not clear how much it is possible to collect this tax. “The corporation has already been collecting various taxes. The civic body is reminding us of Tughlaq by imposing taxes as per its whims and fancies,” fumed senior communist leader Ch Babu Rao. Left parties have been staging dharnas and taking out rallies demanding that the garbage tax proposal be dropped. These protests are evoking a good response, which prompted the ruling party leaders to pressurize authorities to withdraw the tax.
Inevitable after polls?
Political considerations also seemed to be behind YSRCP leaders’ opposition to the garbage tax. The elections will be held for local bodies, including VMC, once corona pandemic abates. Imposing new taxes ahead of corporation elections is certainly not a wise decision. The YSRCP leaders are planning to force the civic body to backtrack on the garbage tax by approaching higher-ups in the government. A decision is likely in a week.
Colony associations fleeced
The municipal corporation is already fleecing the residents’ and colony associations by collecting from them half of the wages to be paid to sanitation staff working in the areas.
YSRCP feels that imposing further financial burden in the form of garbage tax will surely evoke strong reaction from these associations. Hence, VMC commissioner Prasanna Venkatesh is said to be mulling to impose garbage tax after polls. Colony associations which share sanitation costs will be exempted from paying garbage tax. To avoid pressure from YSRCP, corporation authorities may keep the garbage tax proposal in abeyance until the elections are over.
