Residents bat for green fee in Shimla

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 4

Even as political representatives are divided on the green fee, residents here have favoured the nominal green fee from tourists entering the city in their vehicles.

The MC is likely to start it from this month on the ground that the fee will be used to make it clean and green.

“Let the MC impose the green fee from tourists, the money should be invested to create civic amenities for residents first,” said Brig Daleep S Chhajta, a social activist and resident.

The Shimla Nagrik Sabha, various resident associations and the Upnagrik Jan Kalyan Samiti also trash hoteliers contention that the green fee will hit tourism.

“The MC should charge a nominal fee and create parking facilities, better roads, children parks,” said Govind Chatranta, secretary, samiti.

“A majority of the population in the city falls in lower middle class and face traffic jams,” said Satyavan Pundrik, secretary of the Shimal Nagrik Sabha, which is championing the case for green fee in the city.

Hoteliers consume 50 per cent of water available in the city, generate more than 25 tonnes of trash every day, claimed Pundir.

The city administration had removed the yellow line parking from the Sanjauli where locals would prak their vehicles to benefit the parking contractor, claimed Pundir.