A garbage collector in HCM City (Photo; Lao dong)

Ho Chi Minh City chairman Le Hoang Quan has instructed relevant agencies to maintain a delicate balance between rubbish collectors’ benefits and tax.

The city has assigned the director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and district authorities to collect taxes of around ten percent from private garbage collectors.

In addition, agencies should make a list of households which must pay garbage collection fees, as some district authorities are lax in collecting, and previous taxes where too high leading to complaints from private garbage companies resulting in some recent acts of social disorder.

The city has also ordered police to investigate accusations that some people aroused rubbish collectors to picket relevant State agencies.

Authorities are also investigating allegations that an official has been colluding with large garbage collection firms from neighboring provinces to use the city’s disposal and treatment facilities for free.