Govt moots Green Cess

It will burden common man, says CPM

Vijayawada: The State government is planning to introduce Green Cess on the people living in urban areas to promote and protect greenery. A five-member committee was constituted to study the modalities of collecting the cess.

The cess would be limited to all the urban local bodies (ULBs), including Nagara Panchayats (semi-municipalities) in the State. This would be in addition to the existing taxes such as property tax, water tax, drainage tax and user charges on sanitation.

Though the officials from the Ministry of Municipal Administration and Urban Development are not clear yet on the proposed tax, senior officials say that the government’s intention is to collect tax on sanitation, vacant lands and construction activity to promote clean and green cities.

The Andhra Pradesh Urban Greening and Beautification Corporation, formed in February this year, would implement the proposed green cess through the ULBs.

The State government firm on promoting green cities with more focus on the new capital city – Amaravati – is planning to develop greenery, making the urban agglomerations attractive to foreign tourists.

The cess would ensure tax on vacant lands, collection of garbage from group housing and colonies. The civic bodies are already collecting user charges on door to door garbage collection in several ULBs, including Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.

The committee was also asked to study Green Cess models in the country. The Delhi government is collecting Green Cess on heavy vehicles entering the city. This is to keep pollution under control and check traffic congestion in the city. In addition, it also collects a penal fee of Rs 5,000 for burning dry leaves or waste by private persons or firms.

Interestingly, the National Green Tribunal had cleared this proposal of the Delhi government which is now in force. The AP government had asked the five-member panel to study this aspect and consider if it could be adopted in the State.

Similarly, the Goa government is also collecting Green Cess on ‘products and substances causing pollution. This could also be adopted in Andhra Pradesh.

The committee is also expected to study the green tax proposed by the Odisha government recently on the mining activity. The government had proposed tax on minerals available in the State but are sold for consumption in other States or used for manufacturing of goods exported to other places.

The Gujarat government had also enacted the Green Cess Act when Narendra Modi was the chief minister to create 'Green Energy Fund' to be utilised for promoting generation of electricity through renewable sources.

Meanwhile, in an open letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, CPM state secretary P Madhu opposed the Green tax proposal .He said the tax would be an additional burden on the people.

The government is trying to shun its responsibility of maintaining sanitation and greenery in the urban areas for environmental balance, he said.