Pulwama Aug 08 (KNO): The increase in sanitation-related charges by the Pulwama Municipal Council has triggered concern among traders and shopkeepers in the town, with members of the business community questioning the additional financial burden and seeking greater accountability in the utilisation of civic funds.
Traders argue that they are already required to meet several regulatory and licensing requirements and that any additional financial liability should be accompanied by visible improvements in sanitation and other basic civic services.
Members of the Traders Federation Pulwama said that shopkeepers were facing difficulties in complying with various requirements linked to obtaining and renewing municipal licences.
They said the authorities should first ensure that existing civic infrastructure and facilities are properly maintained before imposing or increasing charges on the business community.
General Secretary of the Traders Federation Pulwama, Rauf Rashid, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that traders were concerned over the sanitation fee issue and the procedures involved in obtaining municipal licences.
According to the traders’ body, shopkeepers are required to furnish several documents and complete various formalities for obtaining licences, which, they said, adds to the difficulties faced by the business community.
The federation has also raised questions over the condition of several facilities that were established in Pulwama town in the past.
Traders claimed that some development works and civic facilities, despite substantial expenditure, have either become non-functional or are not being utilised effectively. They specifically referred to facilities such as water purifiers, streetlights and other public amenities, saying that several of these installations are no longer serving their intended purpose.
The traders argued that there should be a proper mechanism to monitor the condition and functioning of such infrastructure so that public money spent on development projects delivers long-term benefits to residents and the business community.
However, the Municipal Council has disputed the claim that sanitation charges have recently been increased.
An official of the Municipal Council Pulwama said that sanitation charges are collected from traders as part of the arrangements for maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in the town.
The CEO maintained that there has been no increase in the sanitation fee so far, while pointing out that a number of traders and shopkeepers have not been paying the sanitation charges.
According to the municipal authorities, regular collection of sanitation fees is important for maintaining cleanliness, waste collection and other sanitation-related services in the town.
He also said that complaints had been received from some traders regarding the documents being sought for issuance of licences.
Clarifying the issue, he said the documents made mandatory for obtaining licences were intended to safeguard the interests of traders and shopkeepers and ensure that businesses operating within the municipal limits meet the prescribed requirements.
The municipal authorities maintained that the licensing process was not intended to create unnecessary hurdles for traders but to ensure proper regulation of commercial establishments and protect the interests of both business owners and the public.
The Municipal Council also rejected the impression that development activity in the town had come to a standstill. He said that several development projects were currently being undertaken in different parts of Pulwama town and that work on various civic initiatives was in progress.
The authorities maintained that strengthening sanitation and civic infrastructure remains a priority and that the municipal administration is working towards improving basic services for residents—(KNO)