The Tamil Nadu government, which increased the property tax in all urban local bodies last month, has decided to increase it annually. With a Bill introduced in the Assembly on Monday, the government sought to include new Sections for an enhanced property tax in the laws governing town panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations.
“The Tamil Nadu government has decided to require the municipal councils to take action to enhance the property tax annually,” read a Bill tabled by Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru. AIADMK MLA Agri S.S. Krishnamurthy (Polur) opposed the Bill at the introductory stage itself to register his party’s opposition to the measure.
The new provision the Bill seeks to include in the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919; the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920; the Madurai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1971; and the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, 1981, is, “The council may, by resolution, enhance property tax at such a rate, within the minimum and maximum rates as may be notified by the government, from time to time.”
The government has also formulated a comprehensive programme for “regulating periodic cleaning of septic tanks and transportation, treatment and disposal of faecal sludge and septage”. The Bill seeks to amend the four Acts, along with the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1978, to include the programme.
“Indiscriminate disposal of faecal sludge and septage in open environment and waterbodies poses a great danger to the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to regulate the operation and movement of the lorries, trailors or any other vehicles used for decanting of septic tanks and cesspools and transportation of faecal sludge and septage to ensure safe disposal,” according to the Bill.
The government has recognised the importance of faecal sludge and septage management as a “viable” method of sanitation for small cities and towns and outgrowths in metropolitan cities, it said. In pursuance of the National Policy on Faecal Sludge and Septage Management, the programme has been formulated to provide “complete full cycle of sanitation in local bodies”.
The Bill provides for new Sections in these Acts on the grant of licence for collection, transport and disposal of sludge, the duties of a licensee, monitoring of desludging operations and prohibition of unsafe disposal, penalties and the power to seize and confiscate vehicles and articles, among others.
