The Kolkata Municipal Corporation's health department is struggling to clear garbage from 5,000 vacant plots in the city, mainly due to untraceable owners or their refusal to clean. To address this, they propose a special clean-up drive, adding the expenses to property owners' tax bills. If owners don't comply, the solid waste management department will conduct the drive and charge owners; particularly dengue-prone areas are targeted.
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The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) health department faces a challenge in vector control due to garbage accumulation in vacant plots. A solution proposed to the solid waste management department suggests a dedicated cleanliness drive for these plots, with expenses billed to property owners and added to their property tax. If owners can't be found, the assessment department will assign a new assesses number for billing. Approximately 5,000 vacant plots have become mosquito breeding sites, particularly in areas like EM Bypass and Tollygunge-Jadavpur, prompting the KMC to engage owners for clean-up. Neglectful owners could face billed clean-up efforts in high-risk dengue areas. This integrated strategy aims to enhance sanitation and accountability.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation's (KMC) health department is grappling with a significant challenge in its vector-control endeavours – the clearance of garbage from vacant plots. To address this issue, a novel approach has been proposed by the health department to the KMC's solid waste management department. The suggestion entails launching a dedicated cleanliness drive specifically targeted at these abandoned premises, with the intention of subsequently invoicing the property owner for the incurred expenses. This amount would then be seamlessly integrated into the owner's property tax bill, streamlining the accountability process.
In scenarios where the property owner cannot be readily located, the KMC's assessment department is poised to step in. This department will take the initiative to establish a fresh assesses number, thus enabling the inclusion of the cleanliness bill. It's worth highlighting that the majority of these vacant plots are concentrated within KMC's supplementary regions. These encompass localities such as Behala, Tollygunge to Jadavpur, Garia, and areas flanking the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass.
Elucidating further on the predicament, a representative from the KMC's health department divulged that the presence of approximately 5,000 vacant plots has posed considerable challenges for the municipal body. Owners have either proven elusive or have declined the responsibility of maintaining their properties, inadvertently contributing to the proliferation of mosquito breeding sites.
Certain regions along the EM Bypass have proved particularly vexing in terms of identifying the rightful property owners. Localities like Purbachal, Kasba, Madurdaha, Mukundapur, Survey Park, Patuli, and Garfa have witnessed difficulties in owner tracing. Similarly, within the Tollygunge-Jadavpur belt, numerous vacant plots have metamorphosed into inaccessible areas due to the accumulation of waste. Perturbed by this situation, the KMC health department has engaged with property owners, urging them to establish a prompt cleanup schedule.
In instances where property owners fail to adhere to the stipulated timeline for cleaning activities, a contingency plan has been devised. The solid waste management department will orchestrate a targeted cleaning drive, with a caveat that the financial burden be borne by the property owners themselves. To ensure precision in the process, the KMC's solid waste management department has meticulously pinpointed vacant plots situated in zones prone to dengue outbreaks. These high-risk areas have been earmarked for prioritized clean-up interventions.
In essence, the KMC's multi-pronged strategy seeks to mitigate the challenges posed by neglected vacant plots that inadvertently foster disease-carrying vectors. By merging the efforts of various departments and implementing a strategic financial approach, the municipal body aims to address not only the physical clean-up of these sites but also the responsibility and accountability associated with maintaining a hygienic urban environment. This integrated approach, while confronting obstacles in terms of owner identification and compliance, stands as a proactive measure against potential health hazards and an enhancement of the city's overall sanitation efforts.
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