BBMP bins 'user fee' move on waste disposal

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Thursday withdrew the proposal to charge Rs 200 as ‘user fee’ for waste disposal following backlash from citizens and civic groups.

The civic body also clarified that there is no such proposal before it, even though it had recently proposed to collect user fees along with monthly electricity bills.

BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad had recently written to Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, and Managing Director, Bescom, in this regard.

Criticising the BBMP’s move, several political parties had staged protests in Bengaluru.

On Thursday, BBMP Administrator Gaurav Gupta told reporters that there was “no new proposal” before him when asked about levying ‘user fee’ for garbage management.

Clarifying on the issue, BBMP Commissioner said the idea of collecting ‘user fee’ “had remained at the proposal level and no decision was taken till date”. For now, Prasad said, the civic body had decided “not to proceed with the idea”.