Members of Visakhapatnam Apartment Resident Welfare Association (VARWA), Greater Visakha Residential Colony Association Federation (Nivas) condemned the decision of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to levy a garbage collection fee of ₹120 on individual homes and ₹150 to ₹15,000 on commercial establishments.
The membes said it is the responsibility of the municipal corporation to collect garbage from every household and transport it to the dumping yard and dispose of it. The members also criticised corporators who voted in favour of the proposal at the council meeting.
VARWA general secretary B.B. Ganesh said that collection of user charges on garbage collection is a step towards commercialisation of civic services. The notification also includes levying of penalties. The GVMC is meting out stepmotherly treatment to the people of the city, he alleged.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) leader and Ward 78 corporator B. Ganga Rao said that at a time when people are under financial pressure due to the increase in prices of fuel, essential commodities and the COVID-19 situation, the State government is trying to add even more burden by levying taxes on basic civic services. He added that the State government is failing to collect funds from the Centre, due to which it is depending on commoners to meet its financial needs.
