A public interest litigation petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court against levying of separate cleaning charges by Vikramasingapuram Municipality in Tirunelveli district.
The petitioner S.I Perumal of Tirunelveli said that it was the duty of the State to ensure the removal of garbage and maintain cleanliness.
They are duty-bound to sanitise streets, collect waste, establish dustbins, garbage collection units and spray pesticides to control breeding of mosquitoes.
Under Section 153 of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, municipalities should arrange for the collection of waste from dustbins and private premises. Section 81 of the Act states that Property tax may comprise scavenging tax and other tax for maintenance, repair and providing light by electricity, the petitioner contended.
However, the municipality is now levying separate charges on scavenging from households and commercial establishments which fall under the municipality town limits. The residents were already paying property tax.
The municipality’s move to collect a separate fee violates the existing law, said the petitioner.
Taking up the petition for hearing, a division bench of Justices M. Venugopal and Abdul Quddhose directed notice to the Tirunelveli Collector, Commissioner, and the municipality.