CSMC serves notices to tax defaulters through Lok Adalat

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

Various political parties strongly demand a 75 per cent waiver on property tax interest, however, the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) administration has started tightening its grip on recoveries. Through the Lok Adalat, the civic body has started issuing notices to property owners with outstanding water bills exceeding Rs 1 lakh. These defaulters collectively owe Rs 121 crore.

The target collection of the property and water taxes, set by the CSMC administrator G Sreekanth, is Rs 500 crore this year. Accordingly, for the past few days, all ward officers and the tax assessment section personnel have been actively working on recoveries. A list of property owners with outstanding dues exceeding Rs 1 lakh has been prepared, and they have been issued notices through the Lok Adalat. Now that the court has sent notices, citizens are getting anxious. These defaulters collectively owe Rs 121.31 crore water tax, said the deputy commissioner Aparna Thete.

Efforts until March 31

The administration will make intensive efforts over the next two months to recover property tax and water tax. The commissioner has observed that the recovery performance of contractual and incentive-based employees in ward offices has not been satisfactory. As a result, the administrator has warned of action against such employees. The administration aims to recover approximately Rs 150 to Rs 200 crore during February and March.

No resolution of complaints

Citizens visiting ward offices to get new properties assessed for tax are not receiving the expected cooperation. Instead, they are often troubled with unnecessary queries. In cases where a property has been mistakenly taxed twice, the affected individuals also face difficulties, and their issues are not resolved promptly. The number of such complaints has been increasing.