Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will organise a public consultation with non-government organizational (NGOs) and activists regarding the controversial hike in garbage cess in the first week of January.
M K Gunashekar, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, said that an increase in cess is inevitable as the cost of solid waste management is increasing every year. “The Union Ministry for Urban Development has asked local bodies to generate their own resources for the Swachh Bharat campaign,” he said.
According to Gunasekhar, the BBMP spent Rs. 421 crore, but collected only Rs. 41 crore in 2014-15.
“This year, we expect expenditure of Rs. 600 crore and have collected only Rs. 40 crore so far,” he said adding that the proposal would be discussed with NGOs and other stakeholders before arriving at a decision.
