MCI imposes new tax in Islamabad

Islamabad:Failing to maintain cleanliness in the federal capital, the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) on Monday approved imposition of Solid Waste Management Services Charge for all the commercial, government and residential buildings.

The 42nd meeting of the MCI chaired by the Islamabad Mayor Shaikh Ansar Aziz okayed to impose the new services for all types of buildings of buildings in limits of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). A seven-member committee headed by deputy mayor Zeeshan Naqvi had recommended to levy the new charges which the MCI expects would generate Rs1.5 billion per year.

The decision has strong criticism from citizens particularly those of residential areas who are already upset with 200 percent increase in property tax. However, the MCI meeting was told the decision would help in improving sanitation conditions in urban and rural areas of the federal capital.

The participants at the MCI unanimously approved to levy the sanitation services charges which would be effective from July 1, this year. According to recommendations of the seven-member committee which were approved without any change, the Government servants living in officials flats or houses would also have to pay sanitation charges from Rs200 to Rs1,000 per month.

The service charges for Government accommodations of A,B, C, D, E, F, G, H, 1 categories will be Rs200, Rs250, Rs300, Rs400, Rs600, Rs700, Rs800, Rs900 and Rs1,000 per month. The occupants of residential buildings would have to pay Rs400 to Rs4000 per month as Solid Waste Management Services Fee depending on size of the plot.

The consumers owning plots of size 20x40 and 25x40 would pay Rs400 per month, charges for plot sizes 25x50, 30x50 and 30x60 will be Rs500, plot sizes 30x70, 35x70 Rs600, plot size 35x80 and 40x80 Rs800, plot size 50x90 and 60x90 Rs1200, plot size 60x100 Rs1400, plot size, plot size above one kanal and upto 2 kanals Rs1,600, plot size 2 kanal to 4 kanal Rs2,000 while house and farm houses above 4 kanals would pay Rs4000 per month as Solid Waste Management Services Charge.

The houses in rural area up to five marla will pay Rs300, above five marla to one kanal Rs500 and above one kanal Rs1,000 per month would be charged. The commercial Consumers of Blue Area will pay Rs5 per square feet of covered area, Marakiz of sectors D, E, F series Rs5 per square feet while it will be Rs4 per square feet for Marakiz of G and I series and model villages.

The service charges for government, semi government, autonomous buildings is Rs2, wedding halls and marque Rs10, service stations Rs4, hotels and motels Rs5 and industrial area Rs5 per square feet.