Clean Up or Pay Up: Bengaluru Civic Bodies Begin Clearing Neglected Vacant Plots
Bengaluru: Civic authorities in Bengaluru have begun clearing neglected private vacant plots after the deadline issued to property owners under the citywide “Freedom from Waste” campaign expired, with the cleaning cost set to be recovered through the owners’ property tax.
Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda symbolically launched the drive at Domlur in the Shantinagar Assembly constituency and urged owners to clean and maintain their vacant properties themselves to avoid the higher cost of civic-body intervention.
According to the official release, owners were initially given time until August 15 to clean their plots. The deadline was subsequently extended to August 22. Around 30% of the owners complied, while nearly 70% had not cleaned their plots by the end of the extended period.
The civic authorities will now clean the remaining plots and recover the expenditure from the respective owners through property tax. The charges have been fixed according to the Schedule of Rates and the size and condition of each plot.
Byre Gowda said neglected plots with weeds, bushes and accumulated waste were contributing to problems involving mosquitoes, flies, snakes and rats, besides affecting neighbourhood sanitation.
The minister clarified that no penalty would be imposed when a plot is cleaned by the civic body for the first time. Penalties would apply under the rules if the neglect is repeated. Owners who cleaned their plots voluntarily will receive letters of appreciation.
The government said more than 1.22 lakh metric tonnes of construction and demolition waste had been removed so far during the wider cleanliness drive.
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