Biswabrata Goswami
KRISHNAGAR, 17 DEC: Krishnagar municipality has rolled out a comprehensive public awareness drive combining civic discipline, citizen convenience, and digital accountability, signalling a renewed push towards cleaner streets, timely tax compliance, and streamlined municipal services.
Through a series of notices, the civic body has detailed incentives for early property tax payments, clarified the operation and user charges of public toilets, urged timely renewal of trade licences, and invited residents to directly flag sanitation issues via WhatsApp.
At the heart of the initiative is a clear message on property tax compliance. The municipality has announced attractive rebates for residents who pay their dues early in the financial year. Property owners paying their tax between April and June will receive a 10 per cent rebate, while those paying in the second or third quarters—between July and December—will be eligible for a 5 per cent rebate. No rebate will be available for payments made in the final quarter from January to March, and a 10 per cent penalty will be imposed on overdue taxes, reinforcing the importance of timely payment.
Alongside revenue-related measures, the municipality has also highlighted its public sanitation infrastructure. Krishnagar currently has 14 Sulabh public toilets under municipal jurisdiction. Two facilities—located at Nadia District Hospital, Shaktinagar, and the Sadar Hospital—remain open round the clock to cater to patients and their attendants. The remaining 12 toilets operate daily from 6 am to 10 pm and are strategically located at busy points such as the new and old bus stands, Head Post Office crossing, Karimpur bus stand, Bejikhali crossing, Shaktinagar Pachmatha crossing, the Collectorate crossing, near the Registry Office complex, and close to educational institutions like Krishnagar Collegiate School and Kanyashree University.
The municipality has also reiterated the user charges fixed for these facilities: Rs 2 per person for urination, Rs 6 for defecation, and Rs 5 for bathing. Officials said the transparent display of rates is aimed at ensuring both affordability and proper maintenance of the facilities.
In a parallel move to ease regulatory compliance for local businesses, the civic body has urged all traders to apply for new trade licences or renew existing ones within the stipulated time. The municipality has warned that late renewals will attract fines and that failure to renew could lead to future legal and operational complications. To simplify the process, applications and renewals can be completed online through the E-District portal or at Bangla Sahayata Kendras, with authorities stressing that only government-mandated fees are applicable and no additional service charges should be paid.
Completing the civic outreach is a renewed call for citizen participation in keeping Krishnagar clean. Residents have been encouraged to photograph and report issues such as garbage accumulation, damaged dustbins, or irregular waste collection by sending complaints via WhatsApp to 9434668830. Municipal officials said the initiative is designed to create a faster feedback loop between citizens and the administration, enabling quicker response to local sanitation problems.
Together, these measures reflect Krishnagar municipality’s attempt to blend fiscal responsibility, public hygiene, digital governance, and citizen engagement—an approach that officials believe is essential for managing an expanding urban centre while maintaining accountability at the grassroots.
