In attempt to curb extortion and streamline collection of user charge from commercial establishments, the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) has decided to outsource the job of collecting the fee to a non-governmental organisation (NGO).
Volunteers of the Rashtriya Seva Samithi (RASS), established in 1981, would relieve sanitary inspectors of the responsibility. Inspectors could now focus on maintaining sanitation and cleanliness in the city, said MCT officials.
MoU signed
MCT Commissioner V. Vijay Rama Raju signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RASS representatives Venkataratnam and Naga Raju on Wednesday.
As per the agreement, 10 volunteers, with identity cards and point of sale (PoS) machines, will visit outlets and collect user charges. A receipt will be sent on the payer’s mobile phone.
The corporation has fixed the following charges - for hostels and guest houses (₹200), hotels (₹500), hotels up to three stars (₹1,500), hotels with more than three stars (₹3,000), bars and restaurants (₹1,000), commercial establishments (₹100), small eateries and coffee shops (₹200), commercial offices (₹500), chicken and mutton stalls (₹300), clinics and hospitals (₹1,000), and convention centres (₹1000).