In the council meeting on Tuesday, MMC Chairperson Sandeep Falari said MMC spends about Rs 2 crore annually to collect and dispose garbage, while the garbage tax collection is around Rs 80 lakh. Hence, time has come for MMC to hike the garbage tax.
Councillor Adv Subhash Narvekar said MMC should not raise garbage tax for residential premises.
“The existing garbage tax of Rs 200 per house per year should be retained and the tenants and illegal houses should be brought under the garbage tax bracket,” suggested Narvekar. MMC accepted the suggestion and it was agreed to hike garbage tax. The garbage tax for hotels will be Rs 20 per day per room, big bar and restaurants (Rs 20 per day), small bar and restaurants having less than 15 tables (Rs 10 per day), beauty parlors (Rs 20 per day), nursing homes (Rs 1,000 per month), exhibitions cum sale – indoor (Rs 100 per day), exhibitions cum sale – outdoor (Rs 500 per day), halls (marriage, etc) (Rs 1,000 per month), banks (Rs 300 per month) and government offices (Rs 100 per month). The issue of usage of existing municipal building after shifting MMC office to new premises also came up for discussions.
Falari said MMC has received a letter from Directorate of Art and Culture to set up high-tech library in the heritage building.
Councillor Subhash Narvekar said the location of the building has become an accident-prone zone and there is a need to widen the road. “It will be advisable to demolish the existing old building and construct new one,” he said.
After discussions, it was decided to constitute a panel of construction professionals, A Prabhu and Viraj Paraz, and requested them to submit report to MMC within 15 days stating whether the existing structure can be altered sideway to provide some space to widen the road. MMC also decided to direct the chicken and meat vendors to shift on the first floor of the new fish market and provide the space for pork and beef vendors on the ground floor of the new building constructed by MMC.
In the meeting, Mapusa Citizens Advisory Committee and the committee for taking decisions on the suggestions made by people about draft master plan of municipal market
were formed.
