Garbage lifting to cost Rs 128 cr, MBMC gets ready with tax bomb

If you are a resident of Mira-Bhayandar, here’s a piece of bad news, your property and water tax is all set to climb-up steeply.

Although the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has hinted at a steep hike which according to them is aimed at rationalizing the existing property tax structure that has not been revised for more than seven years, the move is said to be a gap filling approach to meet the revenue shortfall owing to sharp increase in expenses, mainly due to the garbage generation which has reached an alarming level even as the projections for the years ahead are frightening.

This apart from financial requirements for upcoming and ongoing projects including Surya Water Supply Project, enhancing public transport facilities, construction of new roads and markets.

However, funding towards the day-to-day cleanliness and ferrying garbage to the dumping grounds is a major concern for the civic administration as its expenses have touched the roof owing to a significant jump in population and rabid urbanization.

“Apart from mooting a hike and attempts to broaden the existing tax base , we will also tap new avenues for revenue generation,” said civic chief- Dr. Naresh Gite.

With generation of garbage increasing from 350 to 550 metric tonnes per day, the proposed funding outlay has registered an upward revision from Rs 80 cre to Rs 128 crore, this compounded by additional financial burden owing to mandated approval by the civic administration in adherence to government rules towards a hike in minimum wages of contractual workers and onsource segregation of waste.

As per the Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines, 28 persons are required for 10,000 population, which translates into an estimated staff requirements of 3059 which currently stands at 1,600. Moreover 146 vehicles including small and big compactors will be needed to lift and ferry garbage.