The Hindu 17.01.2010
Separate tax book suggested for unauthorised buildings
Special Correspondent
COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Consumer Cause, a consumer welfare organisation, has suggested to the Coimbatore Corporation that it could issue separate Property Tax books to unauthorised buildings.
In a letter to Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, secretary of the consumer organisation K. Kathirmathiyon pointed out that many residential apartments were constructed without any approval for the entire structure. While the Corporation was taking action against other unauthorised buildings, it should act against violations in the apartments also.
The letter said that the Corporation was categorising such buildings as 100 per cent deviation and not unauthorised. The collection of Property Tax led the flat owners to believe that the entire building was approved by the authority concerned. Banks also provided loans based on the registration documents and Property Tax assessment, he said.
Violations
Most of those who bought the flats did not know of the violations or that an entire apartment was unauthorised. This information was not passed on to them when they purchased the flats. Therefore, the Corporation should issue a red tax book for these buildings. This would enable the people know of the actual status of the buildings. The words “unauthorised construction” should be printed on the cover of the book, Mr. Kathirmathiyon suggested.
At the same time, the Corporation was collecting the penalty for deviation from approved plan under the “tax” category. A separate column for penalty should be provided in the tax book, Mr. Kathirmathiyon said.
As for the trend of constructing apartments without plan approval, he said it was surprising that an apartment with 50 flats had come up at R.S. Puram without approval. The construction of apartments should be seen as a commercial venture and it must be stopped in case there was no approval for the building.
