WATCH: Karachiites dump garbage on K-Electric vehicles

Citizens ask power utility to fix garbage collection issue since it is collecting municipal tax

KARACHI:

In order to protest against the inclusion of municipal tax in electricity bills, a section of citizens has started dumping garbage in the K-Electric (KE) repair trucks and calling the KE helpline to complain about garbage collection.

This public reaction to the agreement between Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the power utility services has been causing encumbrance to KE field staff, sources said.

According to details, KMC failed to meet the target of the controversial Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) and therefore made a deal with KE to collect it via power bills against a 7% commission. As per the sources, the 7% commission is likely to bring a windfall profit of Rs500 million to the KE.

Although the Supreme Court of Pakistan had issued a stay order on MUCT collection, the KMC started sending the bills again after the injunction expired.

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Citizens of the metropolis did not take the tax notices seriously, therefore, KMC had to acquire the services of KE to collect the levy.

The sources said that now the citizens have to pay MUCT through KE bills, otherwise, their power will be cut off. However, public reaction to this forced collection has been 'unconventional' at times.

Incensed by KMC's demand for garbage collection tax in the presence of piles of garbage everywhere in the city, some citizens have started throwing garbage bags in KE repair trucks.

Moreover, KE helpline number 118 has been receiving complaints about garbage collection, while the KE staff tried to explain that it is not their responsibility to collect garbage, at this, the complainants said, you people are collecting the garbage collection tax now you handle the mess too, the sources added.