25-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BNP demands BBMP withdraw unfair solid waste fee amid double billing complaints in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Bengaluru Navanirmana Party has claimed that over 2,800 people across the city have expressed solidarity with them in objecting to BBMP in its campaign titled #IWontPay, against the new solid waste management user fee on citizens who neither generate the waste nor receive BBMP's services.
'This is exploitation. How can BBMP collect a fee without even knowing who should pay and who shouldn't? said Srikanth Narasimhan, founder of BNP.
He said the 'bulk-waste generator' exemption was introduced around April 20, 2025, after backlash from citizens. By this time, thousands of residents who live in apartments classified as bulk-waste generators, had already paid the SWM fee. Many have made double payment, one to private vendors, and another to BBMP for doing nothing.
Smaller apartment complexes (under 100 units) that use empanelled vendors are neither recognized as bulk generators nor given clarity, which again leads to double billing. Vacant plot owners have also been charged SWM fee despite producing no waste.
'How can BBMP justify billing people for a service it doesn't provide? There's no accountability, no communication, not even basic logic,' said Poongothai Paramasivan, Governing Council member of BNP. She added that without an elected BBMP Council, the government is unilaterally imposing new charges like parking fees and garbage user fees.
BNP has submitted formal letters to Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, BBMP Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, and Revenue Special Commissioner Munish Moudgil, demanding withdrawal of the SWM user fee, and full refund or adjustment of wrongly collected fees for all who have paid this year.
