Poll code stalls Panchkula MC’s decision to waive garbage fee
Announcing the respite, the Panchkula MC, in its budget meeting held on February 29, had decided to waive garbage collection charges for residential areas and adjust any fee paid already
As Panchkula municipal corporation’s (MC) decision to waive garbage collection charges for FY 2023-2024 has been stalled due to the model code of conduct, the city residents will now have to continue to pay the fee till the poll code is lifted.
Announcing the respite, the MC, in its budget meeting held on February 29, had decided to waive garbage collection charges for residential areas and adjust any fee paid already.
However, no notification was issued about this, and the decision was yet to be cleared by urban local bodies (ULB) because of the poll code. The MC was collecting the garbage collection charges with property tax.
Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said, “MC house had decided not to charge for garbage collection for year 2023-2024 and the same was sent to ULB but owing to the Model Code of Conduct it was implemented. A decision will be taken after the poll code is lifted.”
Panchkula district comes under the Ambala constituency and will go for Lok Sabha polls on May 25.
The mayor had announced to waive garbage collection charges after Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) councillor Sushil Garg, who represents Ward Number 14, had raised the issue that the MC was collecting charges from housing societies even when the civic body was not lifting garbage from doorsteps.
He had pointed out that there are 150 housing societies in his ward alone and no garbage was lifted from doorsteps.
From April 2023, the MC started collecting user solid waste management (SWM) charges from all residential, commercial and institutional units under its ambit. As of February 20, 2024, the civic body has collected ₹55.84 lakh.
The monthly user fee for residential areas is ₹50 for units up to 50 sq m area, ₹100 for sites above 50 sq m and up to 200 sq m. ₹200 for units of sizes from above 200 sq m and up to 500 sq m. ₹250 for units above 500 sq m and up to 1,000 sq m, and ₹350 for units above 1,000 sq m.
“The MC made the announcement but it was not implemented. The residents feel cheated that outstanding dues of ₹700 to ₹1,200 are being shown against their property. Any person who wants to get registry done cannot get the same done as they will not get the no dues certificate till these charges are paid,” said Yoginder Kwatra, vice-president, Sector-20 Resident Welfare Association (RWA).
It may be mentioned that Kwatra and Prem Kumar Monga, residents of Sector 20, had earlier even issued a legal notice to the MC mayor and commissioner on the issue.
