Citizens of the metropolis will now have to pay taxes on previously untaxed items like domestic animals and vehicle advertising as the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has introduced a host of new taxes this fiscal year.

With the arrival of new techniques for advertising, the KMC has realised that old provisions were not sufficient to bring all into its tax net. From now on, all advertisements on the sides of mobile vans and vehicles and on playgrounds will be taxed. Businesses operating on rickshaws and pull carts will also have to pay taxes.

Similarly, keepers of all domestic animals from dogs to fowl to cattle will have to pay taxes to the municipality. People who release domestic animals in the streets and those who fail to clean up after their pets will be fined, as per new rules.

The KMC has started levying new taxes after a decision of the 26th meeting of Metropolis Council. According to officials, the new taxes will help increase KMC’s revenue and keep records of commercial activities in the city.

The corporation has issued a list of taxable items, with tax on advertisements on vehicles and hot air balloons fixed at Rs100 a day. Likewise, advertisers who use hoarding boards and banners at playgrounds will be levied Rs10 per square feet.

Under the new regulation, cart vendors will now have to register themselves with the KMC and can only operate in designated places. Vendors selling food items will be charged Rs30 a day, Rs20 for non-food items.

Such businesses will be required to arrange for dustbins themselves and will be responsible for dumping the waste.

Likewise, pet owners will be required to register their animals and pay Rs100 per year per animal to the KMC, while the tax rate for domestic fowl like chicken and ducks is fixed at Rs200 per year per bird. Commercial farmers of livestock (including poultry) will have to pay Rs500 per barn (or coop) per year.

In order to check pollution in the city, the KMC has provisioned for a fine of Rs100 to people who let animals excrete in public places. But these taxes on animals and birds will be implemented only after making necessary arrangements, the corporation said.