Urban Local Bodies asked to step up tax collection, improve waste management
Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Wednesday (August 5) directed urban local bodies in Bidar district to intensify property tax collection, strengthen solid waste management
Urban Development Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah on Wednesday (August 5) directed urban local bodies in Bidar district to intensify property tax collection, strengthen solid waste management and expedite civic infrastructure works to improve urban services. Chairing a progress review meeting of the Municipal Corporation and the Urban Development Department at the Zilla Panchayat hall in Bidar, the Minister said that while a wet waste processing unit was already operational in the district, a dry waste processing facility should be established at the earliest to ensure scientific disposal of municipal waste. He instructed officials to ensure door-to-door collection of both wet and dry waste from every household. Strict action, including the imposition of penalties, should be taken against those dumping garbage in vacant layouts and public places, he said.
The Minister also directed officials to identify unauthorised hoardings and ensure proper collection of taxes from such installations. Penalties should be imposed on violators to prevent further irregularities, he added. Yathindra said that ₹200 crore had already been sanctioned for transforming Bidar into a clean and well-developed city. Officials were asked to prepare comprehensive project plans for utilisation of the funds, assuring that additional grants would be considered if required. Expressing concern over complaints regarding poor maintenance of public toilets, he instructed officials to inspect the facilities, issue notices to defaulting contractors and terminate contracts wherever necessary. The Minister also called for expediting underground drainage connections to all households, upgrading the sewerage network and ensuring high-quality execution of civic works.
He directed officials to speed up GIS mapping of all properties in the district to improve tax collection and instructed that every commercial establishment should possess a valid trade licence. Shops operating without licences should not be permitted, and awareness campaigns should be conducted among traders, he said. Yathindra also asked officials to complete pending drinking water supply projects on priority and prepare housing projects based on demand under various government housing schemes. He directed the Urban Development Authority to allot civic amenity (CA) sites to eligible community organisations and institutions wherever required. The Minister instructed officials to accelerate road repair works, fill potholes across the city without delay and clear encroachments on footpaths to improve pedestrian safety.
The BriefWire