The Municipal Corporation of Panchkula has initiated the imposition of solid waste management (SWM) charges on all residential, commercial, and institutional units within its jurisdiction. The monthly fees for residential areas vary based on the unit size, ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 350. These charges, approved by the MC General House in September, became effective in April 2023 after approval from the Local Government department. Despite officials’ claims that collecting these charges will enhance garbage waste collection, segregation, and management, residents are expressing discontent. The MC is set to collect charges from various establishments, including street vendors, commercial shops, eateries, guest houses, hostels, restaurants, hotels, and commercial offices. With over 1 lakh units under the MC ambit, the user charges are being applied to all unit types, aiming to provide comprehensive collection, segregation, and management services throughout the city. The initiative seeks to streamline solid waste collection and eliminate small dump sites around residential areas. The collected waste is transported to a centralized collection unit in the city, and then further processed in Ambala. MC Commissioner Sachin Gupta provided information about sanitation workers’ schedules and identities on the MC website, encouraging residents to report issues if garbage vehicles fail to collect waste.
The SWM fees will be collected alongside property tax charges, and any charges related to the previous fiscal year will be revoked. SK Nayar, President of the Citizen Welfare Association, expressed residents’ surprise at the random imposition of charges, stating that the MC had previously declared no garbage collection fee would be charged two years ago, and they oppose such arbitrary collections.
