Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is mulling to collect fees from Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

Though empowered by law in 2009 to do so, DSCC is now considering collecting fees from these organisations in a bid to balance earnings and expenditure.

"The delimitation of DSCC and DNCC was done on the basis of land area, not revenue. Our revenue earning is 35 percent while our expenditure is 65 percent. Therefore, we constantly incur dues," said DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon, adding that he wants to take the corporation to a place where it would stand on its own economic strength.

To do so, the DSCC mayor yesterday sought support of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

DSCC organised a launching ceremony at Nagar Bhaban in the capital marking bringing all wards under the supervision of close circuit television cameras. It also held a views-exchange meeting where Khandker Mosharraf Hossain was present as chief guest.

Khokon said according to the schedule 4 of City Corporation Act 2009, DSCC was empowered to have a share of the revenue of Wasa.

"The corporation is also entitled to impose tax on import and export of goods and services in the city," he said quoting the act.

"We are guardians of roads. We repair roads. Vehicles ply our roads. But BRTA pockets all the revenue," Khokon said, requesting the minister to take steps as the corporation could have a share of BRTA's earnings.

Almost all councillors of DSCC were present at the programme yesterday.

On their behalf, Humayun Kabir, councillor of ward 23, demanded increasing the honorarium of councillors. Currently, a ward councillor gets Tk 17,500 per month.

Mosharraf said the honorarium was really poor compared to living costs. He urged DSCC to increase the honorarium.

The minister said, "You must think to find a way over how your income could be increased without creating pressure on people." He also asked councillors to form a committee over the issue.