The residents of Bengaluru will pay a "garbage tax" after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has implemented the new law for solid waste management. The law went into effect on Tuesday (Apr 1). 

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The garbage tax will be paid annually along with property tax, news agency ANI reported. These charges have been fixed based on the building area. The new decision of the BBMP is expected to raise Rs 600 crore (over 70 million USD) annually. Different rates of tax are being levied for shops, hotels, and residential buildings, reports added.

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What are the rates of the 'garbage tax'?

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  • Buildings ranging upto 600 square feet will pay Rs 10 per month

  • Buildings ranging from 600 square feet to 1000 square feet will pay Rs 50 per month

  • Buildings ranging from 1000-2000 square feet will pay Rs 100 (1.17 USD) per month 
  • Buildings ranging from 2000-3000 square feet will pay Rs 150 (1.75 USD) per month

  • Buildings ranging from 3000-4000 square feet will pay Rs 200 (2.34 USD) per month

  • Buildings ranging above 4000 square feet will pay Rs 400 (4.67 USD) per month

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The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) proposed a service charge for waste collection in November last year, but it was not approved due to opposition from the public. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath was quoted by reports saying that the proposal was discussed in a 2016 bylaw but was not implemented then.

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Opposition criticises 'garbage tax'

Karnataka LoP and BJP MLA R Ashoka slammed for the government for implementing the 'garbage cess'. Hitting out at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar over this tax, Ashoka said that the government has "decided to fill their coffers in the name of garbage disposal."

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In a post on X, Ashoka wrote in Kannada, "The government, which failed to dispose of Bengaluru's garbage and turned Silicon City into a garbage city,  has now fixed fees for garbage collection as well. It seems that they have decided to fill their coffers in the name of garbage disposal."

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Union Minister Prahlad Joshi also slammed the Karnataka government for imposing a garbage tax saying that the state government has gone bankrupt.

(With inputs from agencies)