the goan I network
MAPUSA
The Parra gram sabha on Sunday gave a go-ahead for imposition of Rs 500 as garbage tax for residential houses and small commerical units while all big hotels with rooms will be charged Rs 5000.
The gram sabha also agreed to hike minimum house tax in the village to Rs 100 and 10 percent hike on those who pay more than Rs 100 per annum.
“There are around 2000 houses in Parra. Very soon we will start door-to-door collection of wet and dry garbage in the village. The villagers will have to give segregated waste to garbage collectors who will visit every house at a fixed time,” said Delilah Lobo, Sarpanch of Parra.
The sarpanch convinced the gram sabha members that the panchayat was providing a service right to their door step at Rs 500 per annum which worked out at Rs 1.37 per day.
She said the panchayat incurred an expense of around Rs 1.50 lakh per month for waste collection while the government provided hardly around Rs 5 lakh for garbage disposal.
The gram sabha also gave a green signal to the panchayat’s proposal for charging Rs 500 per annum as garbage tax for small commercial units like gaddas, small shops, moving carts etc. The sarpanch informed that there were around 200 such commercial units in the village.
The panchayat has decided to charge Rs 5000 per annum for garbage collection from all big hotels and restaurants which have room service.
Several gram sabha members raised the issue of locals offering rooms on rent which are biggest waste generators.
The sarpanch said a survey will be conducted on number of rented rooms in the village with the help of panch members and accordingly every room will be charged separate garbage tax.
Speaking on the need to increase the house tax, the sarpanch said re-assessment of the house tax has to be carried once in every five years.
“There are many residential house owners who still pay house tax of Rs 35 per annum. Hence forward all such house owners will have to pay Rs 100 per annum as house tax,” said Delilah Lobo, Sarpanch of Parra.
She further said that the panchayat has decided to impose 10 percent hike for those owners who pay more than Rs 100 as house tax. The gram sabha unanimously passed the resolution to hike the house tax. The Sunday’s gram sabha also approved the 2018-19 budget for the
village panchayat.
