Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) will begin collecting “user fees” from households and commercial establishments for door-to-door collection in July 2016, in accordance with the provisions of the 2016 Central Government Solid Waste Management Regulations.
The citizens decided to raise 30 yen per household per month in slum areas and 120 yen in non-slum areas. For shops and businesses, it is between 200 and 15,000 per month, depending on the type of facility and the amount of waste generated.
The proposal was approved by the local council.
The collection of usage fees for garbage was made a prerequisite for the release of funds from the centrally funded programs such as the Swachh Barath Mission and AMRUT.
The Citizens’ Bureau planned to start collecting 50 yen per household in September 2020, but postponed it after public backlash.
First, the VMC collects usage fees in six stations – 4, 10, 27, 36, 39 and 42 – that have been selected for a special offer.
“The usage fees are only used to improve the sanitation in the city, and the fund is kept in a separate account,” City Commissioner V. Prasanna Venkatesh said in an interaction with reporters.
“Our goal is to improve the sanitary facilities in the city to such an extent that it seems appropriate to the people to pay the usage fee for the service provided. People can pay through digital payment services or in cash, and a hard and soft copy of the receipt will be given when the amount is collected, ”Venkatesh said.
The app (PayU) and e-Pos machines for collecting the fees would be tested, and in a few days the collection would begin on the six stations, he said.
Late fee
Homes and institutions would have to pay a late fee of ₹ 15 or ₹ 100 if paid after the 7th of each month. “We’re not going to charge any late fees now, as awareness is more important at this stage. Later we will also accept quarterly payments, ”Venkatesh said.
“We are currently focused on improving hygiene in the six stations, and silting the drains and other work is in progress,” he said.
Household containers for
To ensure that waste is sorted at source, the citizenry will distribute three rubbish bins to each of the 2.7 lakh households in the city. In the 42nd station, the distribution of the blue, green and red bins for dry, wet and hazardous waste began on Saturday.
The usage fee is ₹ 15,000 for event halls and 5-star hotels and ₹ 10,000 for 3-star hotels and hospitals with over 40 beds. Fast food centers, bakeries, candy stores, wholesalers, meat stores, and offices are charged under ₹ 500.