Demand monthly Swachh fee of Rs 250 for picking up garbage

Serilingampally: The GHMC trash contractors and door-to-door garbage-pickers started collecting higher monthly payments illegally from the residents in some areas in the name of humanity and without issuing any receipts. Either pay Rs 250 per month as contribution for Swachh Hyderabad or the garbage will not be picked up, are the threats faced by residents of Kakeetiya Hills at Road No 9, Madhapur. Normally Rs 50 is the charge for picking up garbage every day. However, the sanitary men come twice or thrice in a week to pick trash. When asked about the increased payment, the sanitary official of the area said pay in the name of humanity.

There are more than 200 flats in the area and every flat is forced to pay Rs 250 every month. From a single society around Rs 5 lakh is being collected by the trash contractors. It seems there is a nexus between the sanitary men and GHMC officials as the latter cite helplessness in curbing this menace. The watchman of the colony was threatened by an official when some residents did not pay. The AMOH of Serilingampally is also not helping with the issue. The contractor of Serilingampally threatened the residents of not removing or picking up the garbage if the said monthly payment was not paid.

Every official whom the residents spoke to, said that they would send a circular, but what is the use of the circular. Residents want to know whether the payment of Rs 250 is official or not? Eseve Dighumarthi, an IT employee and a resident of Kakeeteya Hills who has been complaining to the officials on the issue regularly said, “The residents have to come together and take initiative. Finally, I took up the issue in my own hands and spoke to the sanitary officials.”

The official said, the amount of Rs. 250 was taken in the name of humanity, when asked about the receipt they said it was mandatory to pay Rs. 250 whether there a receipt was given or not. Also, the Sanitary inspector said it was mandatory to pay Rs.250 per flat. Dighumarthi further said, the same sanitary inspector Srinivas Reddy, before calling GHMC threatened me that without paying Rs 250 the trash guy would not pick up trash. Also, I pay 40,000 every year for the tax so what was the point of paying the tax? I feel that the people who were collecting this money should be curbed.

The official also told me that, this is law of GHMC and I can go and complain to commissioner, without money the garbage will not be picked up. After many complaints to the local GHMC officials nobody was concerned about the issue but for the area people it was a threat and loss of money. Being concerned about the issue, GHMC West Zone, Zonal Commissioner HariChandana Dasari said, "I have spoken to the concern authorities that looks after the area and soon they will go and look after he case.” The issue will be solved as soon as possible.250 for picking up garbage

BY Vandana Sharma