The Hindu 25.01.2010
Cable operators told to pay tax arrears by January 31
Priti Narayan
PUDUCHERRY: Cable operators in Oulgaret Municipality have to pay entertainment tax arrears to the local body by January 31.
“We had initiated proceedings recently and threatened to sever cable connections and seize property if the arrears were not paid immediately. Now that we have heeded to their time extension appeal, if the January 31 deadline is not met, we will be taking serious action,” S. Rajamanickam, Commissioner of Oulgaret Municipality said.
In addition, the operators have also appealed to the government to consider waiving of entertainment tax arrears due , following the precedent set by Tamil Nadu. But, the municipality was yet to receive any directive regarding the waiver and hence, all steps needed to recover tax arrears would be taken, the Commissioner said.
According to officials, cable TV operators within the Oulgaret Municipality are required to pay entertainment tax of 10 per cent on monthly subscriptions for every connection with effect from June 2000. Around Rs. 60 lakh is due to the municipality as entertainment tax from cable operators.
There are 68 cable operators functioning within the municipal limits. Among these, only five recently paid their tax arrears, officials said.A total of 8,600 cable connections have been declared by these operators. According to property tax survey conducted by the local body in 2005, over 40,000 houses were assessed in the municipality. Even if the number of direct-to-home subscribers is discounted, there are many more than 8,600 connections within the municipality, the commissioner observed, adding that the non-payment of taxes was causing a huge revenue loss to the local body.
