Cuttack Municipal Corporation to hike user fee for business establishments

CUTTACK: In a bid to generate more funds for meeting the expenditure towards solid waste management, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has decided to hike the user fees of different categorised business establishments.In the first phase, the civic body in its Licence and Appeal Standing Committee meeting on Friday has increased the monthly user fees of kalyan mandaps from Rs 4,000 to Rs 7,500.

At present, of the 64 kalyan mandaps enlisted with the civic body as many as 26 have complied with the new policy and guidelines approved by Orissa High Court. The status of others particularly with regard to parking area, dumping of waste, installation of CCTV, fire safety certificate, security etc., are being assessed by CMC.

It was also decided to regularise CMC’s market complexes after some shops were found to have been occupied in unauthorised way and some are even reportedly sub-leased to third parties. The CMC owns around 506 shops in 10 to 12 market complexes.

As per the decision in the meeting, the civic body will start repairing and renovating some market complexes which are in a dilapidated state. CMC has decided to hike user fees of other business establishments which include the nursing homes, clinic and diagnostic facilities.

“We are going to revise Schedule 1 of CMC’s Solid Waste Management bylaw to hike the user fee of other business establishments and the revision process is under consideration,” said CMC deputy commissioner Amiya Kumar Panda.