In a big relief to marble and granite traders in the city, the council of Mangaluru City Corporation in its meeting on Thursday decided to slash the solid waste management cess being collected from them by keeping traders out of the category of “bulk producers of solid waste”.
The council agreed to consider the traders under the general category of waste producers on a request by Marble and Granites Association, Kulai-Hosabettu.
The corporation collected the cess from traders while issuing new or renewing trade licence. This cess is collected from others along with property tax.
The decision of the council will be effective on April 1, 2019, subject to ratification. As the five-year term of the elected council ends on March 7 and Thursday’s was its last meeting, the decision will have to be ratified by the administrator of the corporation who would take charge on March 8.
According to the decision of the council, traders will have to pay ₹ 960 up to 250 sq ft area, including office and stock area; ₹ 1,440 for area between 251 sq ft and 500 sq ft; ₹ 2,400 for area between 501 sq ft and 1,000 sq ft; ₹ 3,840 for area between 1,001 sq ft and 2,000 sq ft area; and for those having office and stock area above 2,000 sq ft, there will be a 10 % rise for every 500 sq ft area thereof.
Meanwhile, the council approved the draft Sanitation and Solid Waste Management bylaws 2018 of the corporation.
Corporation Commissioner Mohammed Nazir told the council that the daily drinking water supply in the city will continue till March-end as there is no shortage of water. Water storage at the Thumbe vented dam on Thursday stood at 5.79 m. Mayor Bhaskar K thanked all members of the council and officials for their cooperation in running the administration.
