Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (SR)

Mumbai, Jul 31: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief, Praveen Pardeshi, has cleared a proposal that will give property tax rebates to all residential housing societies that segregate wet and dry waste. If residents segregate garbage and dispose of their own wet and dry waste, they can get a property tax waiver of upto 7 per cent. Further rebates will be given if the residential housing societies dispose of their own dry waste to a local recycler and make compost out of the wet waste.

As reported in Mumbai Mirror, the BMC commissioner told the publication, “I have cleared the proposal and it will now be sent to the standing committee for approval. Once it is cleared by the standing committee, the tax rebate will come into force.” BMC had earlier this month decided to impose an additional charge on residents as ‘user fee’ for the collection, transportation and disposal of garbage generated in households. The civic administration had planned to table a proposal before civic group leaders to levy the user fee on residential and commercial establishments across the city every month in accordance with the national Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

As per the rebate proposal, BMC will give housing societies 1% rebate for segregation of waste, three per cent for disposing of their dry waste to a local recycler and an additional 3 per cent if they make compost from the wet waste. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror reporter, a senior civic official said, “If any housing society becomes zero garbage, which means that if they are not giving any garbage to the BMC then they can get 7 per cent rebate in property tax. This will work as an incentive for residents to segregate waste and also reduce the amount of waste the BMC is dumping at landfill sites.”

While environmental activists have welcomed the move, the opposition said that BMC must ensure that its coffers do not run dry. Ravi Raja, Congress corproator in the BMC said, "Property tax rebate for residents who segregate waste is a welcome move, but it must be implemented well. If proper care is not taken, then there is a chance that it might be misused. BMC must first come out with a robust plan to implement this rebate.”