KMC mulls to collect service charge from local bizmen for clearing garbage from Burrabazar area

KOLKATA: The Solid Waste Management (SWM) department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has asked the local councillor of ward 24 of Burrabazar area known for its varied business activities to take it up with the local businessmen so that they pay service charges to the civic body for cleaning up the area.

“There are some markets like the litchi market that pay up charges for cleaning. However, there are some others that carry out a brisk business but when it comes to paying charges they do not spend a single penny. You should speak with the market authorities so that they cough up service charges. On festive occasions, we need to provide additional infrastructure in the form of movable compactors whose maintenance involves a reasonable expenditure. So if we do not have revenue, it will be difficult for us to continue with the service,” Debabrata Majumdar, Member

Mayor-in-Council (Solid Waste Management) said.

In the recent monthly meeting of the KMC, Elora Saha, councillor of ward 24 had proposed for provisions of a movable compactor and two such compactors during festive time for clearing of the waste associated with the market.

Lack of adequate space has been a barrier for the civic body to install a compactor vat in ward 24 which is predominantly a hub of business activities and is extremely congested.

Majumdar however, said that in its efforts to strengthen door-to-door collection, KMC has already introduced several battery operated vehicles and before the Durga Puja, every ward within KMC would have at least 5 such vehicles for collecting wastes and transporting it to the nearest compactor vat.

Majumdar has also asked councillor SK Mushtaque Ahmed of ward 139 in Akra Road area to convince the businessmen of the temporary haat organised on Saturdays and Sundays every week to offer service charges to his department for clearing the huge amount of waste that gets piled up. “People come up from different places with garments and sit by the side of the road and do business. You speak with them and convince them to pay service charges through which we can put up better infrastructure or manpower for cleaning,” Majumdar said.