Man challenges Rs 180 hike in annual sanitary cess; court orders local body to refund it

A court in Maharashtra’s Raigad district has asked the Alibag civic body to issue a refund to a local resident after he challenged a hike of Rs 180 in the annual sanitary cess for his house.

Ajay Upadhye, a lawyer, told Chief Judicial Magistrate S V Ugale that the civic body raised the annual sanitary cess for his house in the coastal town from Rs 180 to Rs 360 for the year 2019-2020 without any justification.

The petitioner said he paid the increased tax but decided to pursue the matter legally after no action was taken on his complaints to local authorities. He filed a case in November 2019.

Upadhye submitted in the court a government notification stating that the monthly sanitary cess is Rs 15 per flat or house in a ‘C’ class municipal area like Alibag.

In its order, made available on Friday, the court accepted his contention and asked the civic body to issue a refund and also a fresh bill.