Bhubaneswar: The civic body failure to adjust and refund user fees paid to it for maintenance of the city's sanitation in the 2015-16 fiscal has angered residents.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, after implementing the user fee system in 2015, had decided to start collecting fees from residents in 2016. But they started collecting the fees in 2015 itself, citing that the system had come in place the same year.

This decision drew flak from citizens, who were reluctant to pay the fees as arrears since they were not aware of the system being in place till then. Pressured by the agitation of residents as well as voluntary bodies, mayor Ananta Narayan Jena announced in April 2016that the user fees for 2015-16 would not be collected.

He had said the people who had paid the fees in advance would be eligible for adjustments on their next payments or other taxes. However, over two years have passed, but neither has been any refund nor any adjustment.

"They introduced the system and collected money as arrears. The civic body announced a refund or an adjustment of the advance, but are yet to get our money back," said Rasulgarh resident Sanjay Baliarsingh.

Irate residents have also approached councillors in different localities with their complaints. "We have taken up the matter with the mayor and he has assured us of coming up with a solution," said a councillor.

In February 2015, the civic body issued a gazette notification to collect user fees from households, shops, malls and hospitals to clear waste. The policy was again implemented in January 2016 when civic officials started collecting the fees.

"It is a requirement to maintain the city's sanitation. Many other cities have also implemented the practice. We have stopped the collection after residents' agitation, but will take steps to resume the collection and adjust the money already paid by some of them," said a senior civic official.