Compulsory garbage fees in Bhatkal; must pay for all homes

Bhatkal 5 August 2018: (Bhatkallys News Bureau) Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner SS Nakul, issued new orders to local government bodies asking them to collect garbage collection charges even if the residents don't avail the services. The order further states that the annual charges of garbage collection to be included in the annual taxes of the residents and not to be collected on monthly basis. Speaking to Bhatkallys.com Syed Aadam Panambur, the newly elected President of Jali Patan Panchayath, said "We have received orders from the office of deputy commissioner asking us to include the garbage collection charges of Rs. 360/- a year in the annual tax of the residents, the order has further asked us to collect charges even from those who don't avail the door to door garbage picking service". After the order was made public, a section of people mostly NRIs objected it citing their houses remain closed from months together and they only visit the town once in year or once in two years, "Having to pay for something which is of no use for us is something not fair" a NRI added. Answering the query, Syed Aadam added "Yes, it will bother a few NRIs who don't stay here and come once or twice a year and will have to pay the charges, but that is the order from DC and we can't help it". Aadam further added "The move comes after it was brought into the notice of DC that a few residents don't avail the services as they don't want to pay charges to the Panchayath and throw their daily garbage on streets causing inconvenience to other residents. This move is expected to keep the streets clean as residents who don't avail the services will now be bound to avail it". Abdullah a daily wage laborer who was at the Jali Patan Panchayath office to pay tax complained to the authorities that his annual resident tax is only Rs. 90/- but the addition of Rs. 360 in the annual tax for garbage collection will make it Rs. 450 and will be a burden for him to pay. It will be interesting to see how people like  Abdullah and other NRIs further react to the decision and how the order pans out to keep the street cleaner than before as hoped by the Jali Patan Panchayath President. (Bhatkallys News Bureau/ Ismail Zaorez)