Bhayandar: Already facing tremendous hardships and steep economic losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the citizens of the twin-city are likely to receive yet another shocker in the form of a hike in the existing solid waste management charges imposed by the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC).
The civic administration has imposed a 5 percent hike in the existing tax structure related to solid waste management. This at a time when the fate of property tax rebates continues to hang in balance and the local populace are already reeling under the impact of inflated electricity bills and a steep hike in fuel rates, which has translated into a triple whammy.
“As per government directions, an annual five percent hike is mandated on the solid waste management tax. It was inevitable for the MBMC. This is a routine hike which has to be implied every year, as per guidelines,” said deputy municipal commissioner Dr. Sambhaji Panpatte.
Like dangling a carrot in front of people, the BJP-led MBMC had offered to introduce tax discounts owing to the economic crisis in the wake of the lockdown which had been imposed to contain the pandemic. However, the ruling governance and the civic administration failed to reach a consensus on the vexed issue, even as the general body meetings in which members decide on allowing rebates or finalizing discounts never materialized, nor did the standing committee took a proper stand on the issue. Political parties claimed to have sought relaxations and even waiving off taxes to ease the woes of citizens.
