TOBA TEK SINGH, June 8: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) has prepared proposals to enhance the rates of teh bazari (rent) of its shops at different rates in different areas of the town.

An official said here on Thursday that 25 per cent raise has been planned in the rent of shops on Allama Iqbal Road near Akbari Mosque, while 60 per cent raise has been proposed for shops on Kamalia Road, in and outside general bus stand, backside of Civil Club, Gojra Road, new market and inside old fruit and vegetable market, Committee Bazaar, Shorkot Bazaar and Jhang Road. A 66 per cent raise has been proposed for shops in Doctors Bazaar, Small Rail Bazaar and new market on Jhang Road.

He said the raise was unavoidable keeping in view price hike which resulted in the increase in the expenditures of TMA. Objections have been invited by the TMA from the citizens till June 16 and the tehsil nazim would hear arguments against the raise on June 19 before presenting them in the council meeting.

The TMA has also proposed 500 per cent raise in the fee of no objection certificate for installation of petrol and CNG filling stations and mobile phone towers while 300 per cent raise has been proposed in slaughter house fee. Water supply fee will also be raised at the rate of 166 per cent, which was at present Rs30 to Rs45 per month.

A cent per cent raise would be made in the fee for issuance of an NOC for obtaining connections of gas, telephone, sewer line and single phase electricity meter. Fee for construction of a house measuring five to 10 marlas would also be increased.

The TMA also proposed to raise parking fee of luxury bus, mini-bus, ordinary bus and other heavy vehicles from Rs20 to Rs70 and light vehicles from Rs10 to Rs40. Similarly, fee of a water tanker has also been raised from Rs300 to Rs400 in the town and from Rs600 to Rs800 in rural areas.

Meanwhile, a Teh Bazari Owners Association spokesman condemned the TMA for proposing such an exorbitant raise in different fees. He said there was no industry in the area and that was the reason that there was no boom in the business for the last three decades in the town.

When contacted, district PML-N president Amjad Javed said tehsil nazim Mian Javed Iqbal resided in Faisalabad so he had nothing to do with the problems faced by the Toba citizens and he was going to raise various fees and taxes unjustifiably.

Former PPP leader Ghiasuddin Janbaz warned that the people would never accept the proposed raise in teh bazari and other fees.

An opposition member in the tehsil council, Mian Sheraz Ashraf, said the opposition would never allow the passage of proposed taxes and fees. A treasury member, Haji Touqeer Bhatti, said he would vote against the raise in fees. Nazims of two of the three city union councils, Dr Maqbool Ahmad and Mian Tahir Sattar, have also announced to oppose the proposed fees and taxes.