Bhiwandi Civic Budget Session Turns Heated As Corporators Flag Tax Recovery Failures & Waste Management Crisis

Bhiwandi: A special general body meeting held on March 30 to deliberate on the ₹1,179 crore civic budget presented by Municipal Commissioner Anmol Sagar to Mayor Narayan Choudhary witnessed sharp reactions from several corporators, who expressed strong dissatisfaction over property tax collection and solid waste management in the city.

Low Tax Recovery & Property Record Discrepancies

Corporators highlighted that property tax recovery remains significantly low, while discrepancies such as duplicate entries and missing records of several properties have led to mounting arrears. Concerns were also raised over unauthorized constructions being assessed for tax despite lacking legal approval. Members demanded stringent penalties—proposing up to 50 times the tax amount instead of the existing fivefold penalty—to curb illegal constructions and ensure compliance with regulations.

Corporators Javed Dalvi, Faraz Bahauuddin, Kamlakar Patil, and Vaibhav Bhoir also demanded the implementation of a single-window clearance system to streamline approvals and improve governance.

Single-Window Clearance & Tax Recovery Concerns

Faraz Bahauuddin further alleged excessive recovery of additional charges such as sanitation and water taxes along with property tax. Responding to these concerns, Deputy Commissioner Balkrishna Kshirsagar informed the house that a GIS-based survey is underway to identify disputed and duplicate properties, which is expected to enhance revenue collection.

Meanwhile, corporator Santosh Shetty raised allegations of illegal constructions being encouraged in the Pogaon area by assigning hutment numbers, particularly in zones witnessing rapid development of industrial and logistics hubs. Taking serious note, Commissioner Anmol Sagar directed immediate action and instructed Deputy Commissioner Vikram Darade to launch an anti-encroachment drive starting Wednesday.

Waste Management Draws Sharp Criticism

Despite crores being spent annually on waste collection, corporators expressed dissatisfaction over the city’s sanitation system. Vikram Darade claimed that nearly 85% of waste is being collected; however, several members contested this figure, alleging irregular garbage collection in multiple areas.

Corporators pointed out that garbage vehicles often fail to visit certain localities for 3–4 days, leading to accumulation of waste. Allegations were also made regarding misuse of GPS systems to falsely indicate operational efficiency. Issues of non-collection were specifically highlighted in hilly areas such as Ajmer Nagar’s Saiprasanna Society, where door-to-door waste collection remains inadequate. Corporator Sandeep Bhoir demanded immediate intervention to ensure proper services.

Declining Sanitation Workforce Raises Concerns

Javed Dalvi also raised concerns over the declining number of sanitation workers, stating that the workforce has reduced from 2,400 to 1,546. He urged the administration to ensure that all appointed staff are deployed effectively in actual cleaning operations.

In response, the Mayor announced that payments to garbage collection contractors will now be processed only after recommendations from local corporators. Strict action, including termination, will be taken against employees found repeatedly absent. Commissioner Anmol Sagar assured that ward-wise data of sanitation staff will be shared with corporators and complaints will be addressed promptly.

The meeting, which lasted for nearly six and a half hours.

Revenue Recovery and Infrastructure Demands Raised

During the session, former Mayor Javed Dalvi raised the issue of pending property tax dues amounting to ₹280 crore from Torrent Power.

He emphasized the need to appoint a strong panel of legal experts to effectively represent the case in court. Additionally, corporator Kamlakar Patil demanded recovery of ₹43 crore in pending taxes from mobile tower operators.

Call for Scientific Slaughterhouse

Highlighting public health concerns, corporators pointed out that in the absence of a designated slaughterhouse, illegal animal slaughter is taking place on roadsides, with waste being dumped into drains, causing foul smell and sanitation issues.

Javed Dalvi urged the administration to establish a scientifically managed slaughterhouse, which would not only improve cleanliness but also contribute to municipal revenue.

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