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General Administration

Property tax collection: 22 urban local bodies chiefs get notice

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The New Indian Express        23.04.2017

Property tax collection: 22 urban local bodies chiefs get notice

HYDERABAD:  Taking a serious view of poor collection of property tax by several urban local bodies in the state during 2016-17, the director of municipal administration has slapped show-cause notices on 22 municipal commissioners for poor performance.

As property tax is the only source of major revenue for ULBs that helps them take up developmental works and provide better civic amenities to citizens. Director of municipal administration TK Sreedevi issued the notices, seeking explanation from the 22 commissioners for the poor collection of property tax which ranged between 40 and 80 per cent.

With the 2016-17 financial year having ended three weeks ago, the collection of property tax in all towns and cities was reviewed by the DMA and it was found that the 22 ULBs collected less than 85 percent of the tax, which was termed as not satisfactory.

In spite of the mandatory job work and specific instructions, the commissioners failed to improve the collections, thereby denting the finances of the ULBs. Bhupalpally stood at the bottom in property tax collection with 40.13 per cent.

Wanarparthy collected 57.55 percent and Palvoncha 62 per cent of the tax.

The collection of property tax, along with non-taxes, is the core function of a municipality. Prompt collection of property tax enables ULBS to meet their day-to-day administrative requirements.


In this connection, levy and collection of property tax was reviewed at the government and Head of Department (HoD) levels. Circulars were issued for 100 percent collection of property tax. Regular review through video and teleconferences was also conducted to improve the collections

. However, the 22 ULBs failed to achieve the targets set by the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA), and municipal commissioners were called upon to explain within seven days why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them for the said lapses.

 

GHMC fines 13 eateries

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The Hindu     11.04.2017  

GHMC fines 13 eateries

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) collected Rs. 7,54,600 through fines on hotels, restaurants and meat shops in the last few days.

Continuing the surprise checks on Monday, the officials inspected around 20 hotels across the city.

Unstamped meat

The officials fined 13 eateries for using unstamped meat and unhygienic kitchen conditions.

Al-Fathas Biryani Durbar in Habsiguda was seized and a fine of Rs. 10,000 slapped on the management for unhygienic cooking conditions.

Grand Swagath Hotel in Ramanthapur was also fined Rs. 5,000 for poor maintenance of toilets.

Sitara Bar and Restaurant on IDPL Croassroads was fined Rs. 20,000 for poor sanitary conditions.

In Kapra circle, Ratna restaurant was fined Rs. 20,000, and Bawarchi was fined Rs. 5,000.

Till date, 123 hotels were inspected out of which 93 were fined for various violations.

 

350 kg of banned plastic bags seized

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The Hindu      06.04.2017

350 kg of banned plastic bags seized

Officers carrying out raids on use and sale of banned plastic bags in Kollam on Wednesday.  

Ten squads of Corporation, Suchitwa Mission

More than 350 kg of plastic bags of thickness less than 50 microns, which have been banned since April 1 in the district, were seized during raids carried out in the city on Wednesday.

The raids were part of the drive against the sale and use of banned plastic bags. Ten squads comprising officers from the Kollam City Corporation and the Suchitwa Mission conducted the raids with the help of the police.

District Suchitwa Mission coordinator G. Krishnakumar said that squads went to textile shops, malls, fish markets, fruit stalls, and vegetable shops and even roadside vendors. The bulk of the bags seized were those in the banned category. Seizures were also made from shops that had not registered with the City corporation to sell and distribute such plastic bags.

Registration

Prior to the ban, the district administration had informed that shop owners who wanted to sell plastic bags not covered by the ban should register with local body concerned by paying a fee of Rs. 4,000 a month.

The fee is as per the provisions of the Central government’s Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 and a circular issued by the State government in this connection.

District Collector T. Mithra said that the raids would be intensified in the coming days all over the district since the government was very serious about the ban.

At the same time, it had been noticed that the ban was also gaining more and more acceptance among many customers and shopkeepers.

 


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