The Times of India               09.12.2013

Stop illegal constructions, PMC tax collectors told

PATNA: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) commissioner Kuldip Narayan's efforts to check the construction of buildings violating bylaws notwithstanding, many builders across the city are continuing with the process.

"Holding tax collectors have been ordered to check illegal construction in their respective areas and report it to senior officials. We have been receiving complaints from other sources about the ongoing illegal construction in the city while our tax collectors were found neglecting the job," said Shashank Shekhar Sinha, additional municipal commissioner, in charge, sanitation and revenue. "At the meeting held on Saturday to review tax collection in New Capital Circle (NCC) area of the PMC, we sacked three tax collectors for their inefficiency in holding tax collection," he said.

The employees sacked were Om Prakash Singh-I, Sudhir Kumar and Anil Kumar. A day's salary of four wage-based tax collectors -- Chintan Yadav, Amresh Prasad Sinha, Shiv Lakhan Mahto and Shashi Bhushan Prasad -- was deducted and Rs 1,000 fine slapped on five commission-based tax collectors for neglecting holding tax collection.

"During the meeting, we decided that none of the tax collectors will get leave since the last trimester of the financial year has started," said Sinha. All the tax collectors have been directed to prepare a list of buildings that have tax pending against them in their respective areas within three days. A special drive will be conducted by the corporation for holding tax collection from big defaulters who have huge dues. The tax collectors have to submit a list of buildings exempted from taxes and illegal constructions going on in their areas to the executive officer, NCC, within a week.

"Most of the revenue collectors are complaining that the residents are unwilling to pay penalty for late payment of holding tax. We have assured them that any resident who has not paid holding tax for this financial year till September is supposed to pay the penalty," said Sinha.