The Hindu

• Meeting will be held to discuss property tax issue: Mayor
• SAS has been implemented: Commissioner

Mangalore, Jan 29: The council of the Mangalore City Corporation at a meeting on Wednesday resolved to launch a campaign against plastics. However, it did not take any decision as to whether to restrict its use or ban it. Mayor Ganesh Hosabettu said that the corporation was observing its silver jubilee this year, and so it would create awareness among people against using plastics. Awareness programmes will be taken up in schools.

In another development, a statement by the Mayor created confusion among councillors as he did not clarify whether people should pay property tax under the self-assessment scheme (SAS).

Some councillors asked the Mayor if tax rates had been reduced under the scheme but failed to elicit a clear response.

The Mayor, however, said that the Administrator of the corporation had implemented it, effective from April 2008. He said that he would convene another meeting within the next 15 days to discuss the matter. On the other hand, Commissioner of the corporation Sameer Shukla told the council that the scheme had been implemented and the corporation was collecting property tax accordingly.

Mr. Shukla said the Directorate of Municipal Administration had not rejected the corporation’s proposal to hand over the solid waste management programme in the city to a single contractor. It had asked the corporation to re-draft the tender documents before inviting bids. This was because no other civic body in the State had submitted this type of proposal. The engineers of the DMA would assist the corporation in preparing the tender document. Mr. Shukla said that the DMA had also asked the corporation to submit an additional proposal.