Thiruvananthapuram: Defaulting the payment of the user fee to the Haritha Karma Sena team for collecting segregated solid waste from your home may even attract property attachment proceedings hereafter.

The Government can settle the dues by initiating attachment proceedings. The owner (defaulter) can be pressurised by blocking other services from the LSG institutions to levy the user fee dues. This new rule came into effect after the Government issued an order stating that the Government can make the defaulter pay the user fee dues by considering it as property tax dues. The order has got legal sanctity from April 1, 2023.

When the property tax payment gets defaulted, it can be paid with a fine at an extended date. If defaulted further, a notice can be issued and actions including attachment proceedings can be initiated to levy the dues.

Even though the State Government or the LSG institutions are unlikely to take extreme steps like attachment proceedings, other methods may be resorted to. Services like ownership and other certificates, licenses and other services to the institutions can be blocked by the LSG institution.

Haritha Karma Sena levies the user fees with the knowledge of the respective LSG institution. If the user fee payment gets defaulted, Haritha Karma Sena would inform the same to LSG institution. With this, the LSG institution can block the varied services provided to the defaulter and ensure the user fees dues payment. The action also emphasises the importance of solid waste management.

The State Legislative Assembly had recently passed a finance bill with an amendment authorising the LSG institutions to collect charges including the user fees.

Meanwhile, the presence of Haritha Karma Sena has not reached all wards under all the Local Self Governance institutions in the State. Hence, legal experts point out that the LSGs will not be able to initiate actions against the building and institution owners in such wards.