CMC yet to collect Rs 3 billion as defaulted rates, taxes

Lakshmi de Silva

Nearly three billion rupees are due as defaulted rates and taxes to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) during the past decade. Only around 200,000 people pay the CMC rates but 400,000 shanty dwellers enjoy the benefits of services provided by the CMC while another 500,000 people who come to the city daily for work use the facilities of the CMC, Competent Authority Omar Kamil said at a press conference yesterday. Government institutions also have to pay around Rs. 1 billion while the private sector institutions and city dwellers have to pay around another Rs. 1.9 billion, he said.

Though the CMC did not want to take any stringent measures against the rate-payers it was the duty of the rate-payers to pay their dues on time without delay so that it would in turn be possible to provide a better service to the people, he said.

He also said under the 100 day speedy development program of the CMC many activities like clean city program to collect garbage from 6 a.m. from houses, dengue eradication, cleaning and developing roundabouts with the assistance from the private sector, easing the traffic congestion during school and office hours were started but all that had not produced 100 percent results but had gained some results. But in the next few weeks more positive results could be seen.

A special unit under the Department of Ayurveda for the benefit of disabled Armed Forces personnel would be opened at Glennnie Street, Colombo 2, behind Elephant House to provide physiotherapy and indigenous treatment for deformed and disabled persons. Dr. C.D. Palathiratne said the pancha karma medicine methods were available at the Kollupitiya CMC Ayurveda Centre for the public as well.

There are 22 playgrounds managed by the CMC and a new gymnasium would be put up at Wanathamulla and a new fire brigade unit would be opened at the Colombo South office. The CMC would improve more facilities to the public in the next couple of weeks, Kamil noted.