Ropar AAP MLA Dinesh Chadha has pulled up the authorities of Municipal Council, Ropar, for not imposing cow cess in their area. He alleged that the MC authorities were not collecting cow cess imposed on various products in their respective areas across the district. Due to this, the MCs do not have enough funds to tackle the problem of stray cows, he said.
He said, “It was surprising to learn that the Municipal Councils (MCs) in the district are not imposing or collecting cow cess, even though they are fully authorised to do so.”
Under existing guidelines, MCs can collect a cow cess of Rs 1 per cement bag sold, Rs 5,500 per event from marriage palaces, and Rs 1,000 per diesel or petrol tank from petrol pump owners. “Had this cess been collected regularly, the revenue could have been used to maintain proper cow shelters and manage stray animals effectively,” Chadha said.