Latest news with #MunicipalCorporationofDelhi
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Delhi civic body makes user charge optional for property tax payments from June 1
NEW DELHI: In a relief to property taxpayers in Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has updated its property tax portal to make the controversial 'user charge'—a garbage collection fee—optional. This move aims to resolve confusion that had prevented many from paying their taxes in advance and allows taxpayers to continue availing a 10% discount on early payments, valid until June 30. The user charge had been added to property tax bills from April 1 under solid waste management regulations. A base fee of Rs 600 was imposed on residential properties, while commercial establishments faced substantially higher rates. The inclusion of this fee sparked considerable public backlash, with many residents arguing that they already pay private contractors for waste collection and questioning why only 13 lakh registered taxpayers were being charged, when more than 35 lakh households across the city produce daily waste. Concerns were also raised over the addition of GST on the combined amount, which increased the total payable sum. In response to public pressure, MCD passed a private resolution in the House on May 21, proposing to defer the user charge and review its implementation. The resolution also called for the charge to be de-linked from the main property tax bill to simplify the payment process. Many RWAs supported this move, especially those representing colonies designated as zero-waste or those actively cooperating with municipal waste segregation policies. They contended that it was unfair to penalise compliant taxpayers while others continued to use civic services without contributing. Following the resolution, MCD revised the online payment system to allow property owners to opt out of the user charge with a single click. According to an MCD official, the portal changes were made in direct response to the House's decision. The official confirmed that any user charges already paid would be adjusted in future tax bills. The final call on permanently delinking the fee will rest with the commissioner, who is reviewing the matter and will present it again to the House after further evaluation. Meanwhile, the general amnesty scheme for property tax payments has gone live on the portal as of June 1. Under this one-time initiative, taxpayers must clear outstanding dues for the last five years along with the current fiscal year's bill. Once these payments are made, all earlier dues dating back to 2004 will be waived. Those who avail of the scheme will receive an NOC, formalising their clearance of liabilities.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
MCD makes user charge optional for property tax payments from June 1, launches amnesty scheme
New Delhi: In a relief to property taxpayers in Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has updated its property tax portal to make the controversial 'user charge'—a garbage collection fee—optional. This move aims to resolve confusion that had prevented many from paying their taxes in advance and allows taxpayers to continue availing a 10% discount on early payments, valid until June 30. The user charge had been added to property tax bills from April 1 under solid waste management regulations. A base fee of Rs 600 was imposed on residential properties, while commercial establishments faced substantially higher rates. The inclusion of this fee sparked considerable public backlash, with many residents arguing that they already pay private contractors for waste collection and questioning why only 13 lakh registered taxpayers were being charged, when more than 35 lakh households across the city produce daily waste. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Concerns were also raised over the addition of GST on the combined amount, which increased the total payable sum. In response to public pressure, MCD passed a private resolution in the House on May 21, proposing to defer the user charge and review its implementation. The resolution also called for the charge to be de-linked from the main property tax bill to simplify the payment process. Many RWAs supported this move, especially those representing colonies designated as zero-waste or those actively cooperating with municipal waste segregation policies. They contended that it was unfair to penalise compliant taxpayers while others continued to use civic services without contributing. Following the resolution, MCD revised the online payment system to allow property owners to opt out of the user charge with a single click. According to an MCD official, the portal changes were made in direct response to the House's decision. The official confirmed that any user charges already paid would be adjusted in future tax bills. The final call on permanently delinking the fee will rest with the commissioner, who is reviewing the matter and will present it again to the House after further evaluation. Meanwhile, the general amnesty scheme for property tax payments has gone live on the portal as of June 1. Under this one-time initiative, taxpayers must clear outstanding dues for the last five years along with the current fiscal year's bill. Once these payments are made, all earlier dues dating back to 2004 will be waived. Those who avail of the scheme will receive an NOC, formalising their clearance of liabilities.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhi HC seeks govt plan to remove community dogs
Concerned over increasing instances of dog bites in the Capital, the Delhi high court has directed the city government to formulate a policy for the 'rehabilitation of community dogs at an institutional level' so that they can be gradually removed from the streets. The court's direction, issued through an order dated May 21 and made public on Monday, came during a hearing on a plea by Pratima Devi, an octogenarian who challenged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) demolition of a makeshift shelter in Saket where she cared for over 200 dogs. 'This court notes that various instances of dog bites by stray dogs have come forth, reported regularly in newspapers, along with several petitions wherein such incidents have been brought to the court's notice,' said a bench of justice Mini Pushkarna. 'A policy decision must be taken by the stakeholders to ensure stray dogs are rehabilitated and phased out from public roads and streets.' Experts said the order could be in contradiction to the law. Agencies follow the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which prohibit relocation of community dogs except temporarily for sterilisation and vaccination. Once treated, dogs must be returned to their original locality and a detailed register needs to be maintained for each dog. Forming a wider policy as suggested by the court may not only be 'legally untenable', but also 'impractical', experts said. 'It's neither feasible nor humane to confine such a vast population of dogs. This will only cause suffering and undermine decades of community-based dog population management,' said Gauri Maulekhi, trustee of People for Animals (PFA). 'It does nothing to address the root causes of the human-dog conflict.' In Delhi, the root cause for human-dog conflicts are the lack of designated feeding spots in the city, poor monitoring of the ABC programme, and lack of public awareness around treatment of community dogs. 'If the dog is relocated for sterilisation and not released at the correct spot, it adds to the conflict. Similarly, until feeding points are designated, there will be neighbourhood-level conflicts on where to feed them,' Maulekhi said. The HC order referred the matter to Delhi chief secretary, stating, 'Considering the sensitivity of the case and the magnitude of the problem… the matter is referred to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi.' Devi's petition argued that the MCD razed her shelter without prior notice. In response, the court had granted interim protection in January 2023, allowing her to cover the shelter with tarpaulin as a temporary measure. On March 25, the court ordered Delhi government officials, the AWBI and the petitioner to hold a joint meeting to resolve the issue, warning that leaving 200 dogs in the open 'may create a very serious situation.' During the May 21 hearing, officials said the dogs would be released back to the streets after sterilisation and vaccination. The court, however, rejected this approach due to the sheer number of animals. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on August 6. Animal rights organisations argue that the focus should be on effective implementation of the ABC Rules, rather than removing dogs from the streets. 'It is simply not feasible. The cost for land, housing them, feeding them – it will all be rather steep. On top of it, they will have to be sterilised. Why can't agencies simply focus on effective implementation of ABC rules?' said Ambika Shukla, director of the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre and a PFA trustee. 'The Centre should support states with funds and manpower for sterilisation, rather than propose mass removals.' Sonya Ghosh, another Delhi-based animal activist who has filed multiple pleas on community dog welfare, said the court's latest order contradicts both the ABC Rules and Supreme Court judgments. 'There is no reasoning behind such an order. It contradicts the SC's directions that ABC Rules need to be followed when it comes to community dogs. The HC in 2021 had also clearly stated that stray dogs have the right to food and citizens have the right to feed them. The new directive contradicts this,' she said.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Mayhem: A stormy summer of catastrophe for rootless tree
This has been a stormy summer for the National Capital Region in general and Delhi in particular. The climate of the month of May, which is largely associated with high temperature and dry winds has come to be replaced by periodic rain-laden wind storms. In the past fortnight, the city has witnessed two major storms on May 17 and May 21. While during the first storm the wind speed was 40-50 kilometres per hour, the second storm had the speed of 70-80 kilometres per hour. No wonder that the second storm saw reporting of 200 plus incidents of uprooted trees, collapsed structures, and damaged cars. Earlier on May 2, Delhi was battered by 77 mm of rainfall in a single day — the second-highest May rainfall ever recorded. The damage was swift and exacting. In a region which has a huge automobile presence, and where the keeping of cars in garages went out of vogue several decades ago, the falling trees especially on cars and buses draw a picture of absolute mayhem. Last Wednesday, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi received at least 54 fallen tree complaints and 21 more were received from the NDMC area. Many crashed onto vehicles, requiring long hours of removal. While the establishment has blamed the incidents on the unpredictable weather conditions caused by climate change, the fact is that even during the Monsoon rains trees do fall in Delhi. The main cause for the falls are that these tall green structures may help record beautiful satellite pictures of thick green cover, however, these trees are rootless wonders. While several factors are attributed for the rickety health of trees in the national Capital, the most important factor is the depleting water table in the region. The falling groundwater table in Delhi is not merely a water management issue but a much larger calamity, it's an ecological crisis that is silently killing the city's trees.
Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Indian Express
9-year-old boy electrocuted while playing at MCD park in Delhi's Kalkaji
A nine-year-old boy was electrocuted while playing in a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) park in Southeast Delhi's Kalkaji on Saturday night. The incident sparked safety concerns among residents. Police have sealed the park partially and filed a case of negligence. No immediate response was received from the MCD on the incident. According to the police, a call was received at 9.30 pm on Saturday at the Kalkaji police station about the incident. On reaching the spot, police learned that the boy, Aryaman, had been rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival. Police said the incident took place when the child went to fetch a ball that was near an electric pole. 'The child went near the pole to get the ball, and accidentally came in contact with an open switchboard. He was electrocuted,' a police officer said. Some neighbours rushed to help Aryaman. Tara Chaudhary, one of the women in the park, managed to pull him by his T-shirt. A doctor from the neighbourhood even attempted CPR on the child, but couldn't revive him, said the officer. The child lived in one of the DDA flats near the park. His father, Randeep Chaudhary, is a yoga teacher. Police said an investigation is underway to identify those responsible for the maintenance of the electric infrastructure in the park. A case has been registered under section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and other sections of the BNS against unknown persons. The area around the switchboard in the park has been sealed, said an officer. The incident has sparked concerns among the locals about the safety and maintenance of the parks. 'Some residents gathered on Sunday for a small prayer ceremony for the child. They raised concerns about similar parks in the area,' said a local.
