27 Mar 2023  |   05:46am IST

Colva gram sabha waives of tax on schools, religious institutions

Team Herald

MARGAO: The Colva panchayat gram sabha on Sunday resolved to exempt religious places and schools from garbage tax. 

Suzie Fernandes, Sarpanch informed that the garbage fees will be borne by the panchayat, however, the civic body is in a fix to tackle the wet waste generated in its jurisdiction due to lack of land to treat it. 

The Sarpanch stated that henceforth no garbage tax will be imposed on the educational institutions and religious places.

“Earlier we had exempted the residential houses from the garbage tax and now the gram sabha has resolved to waive off the garbage taxes for religious places and schools,” Fernandes told reporters. 

She said that rates for garbage taxes for the commercial establishments such as restaurants and hoteliers will be fixed and approved after discussing with the gram sabha members. 

“Panchayat body had even asked the Tourism Department and Communidade committee to allot the land for treatment of wet waste. Panchayat body is ready to purchase the land but the Tourism Department has replied that they have kept the application in abeyance,” said the Sarpanch. 

It has also been resolved to install CCTV cameras at the black spots to catch hold of miscreants dumping garbage. 

“The panchayat has already made a provision in the budget to purchase the CCTV cameras,” she informed. 

Villagers further questioned over dug up roads and the Sarpanch stated that PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral had assured to repair the roads before monsoon.