Puri: The trading establishments in Puri town are strongly opposing the collection of user fees by the Municipal authorities.
Briefing the media, the traders said that the Municipal authorities, who are unable to dispose of the garbage in the town, have now decided to collect user fees from them on the pretext of a cleanliness drive.
Asked about the matter, Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi said that the decision of the Municipal authorities warrants a thorough deliberation.
To make the Pilgrim Town one of the cleanest towns in the country, the Puri Municipality has asked the trading establishments to pay the user fees towards the collection of solid waste in accordance with Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The user fees will be collected from large and small trading establishments, government and private agencies, apartment dwellers, street vendors and vegetable vendors in the first phase.
The monthly user fee amount ranges from Rs 60 to Rs 5,000.