The civic body has issued demand notices and
asked bill collectors to urge assessees to pay the dues before the end
of March. Steps have been taken to keep all the tax collection centres
open on Saturdays and Sundays. It has also flagged off a mobile tax
collection vehicle on Monday to facilitate easy payment of property tax
and water charges. “We have temporarily converted a van into a mobile
collection centre and deputed personnel to collect tax in all the four
zones of the town,” Corporation Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi said.

The
van is equipped with a computer with internet connection and a printer.
The civic officials will collect the tax and issue the receipt on the
spot. “The initiative has received a good response from people,” she
said.

“We have already collected about 70 per cent of the total property tax demand this year,” she added.

The
total property tax demand for the current fiscal is about Rs. 14.70
crore. Of which, the officials have collected a sum of Rs. 10.30 crore
till date. The civic body has managed to collect more than 98 per cent
of the tax in the previous fiscal.

The local body has
also collected water charges to the tune of Rs. 2.74 crore, which was
about 65 per cent of the total demand this year.

The
town has tax collection centres at Suriyampalayam, BP Agraharam,
Veerappan Chatram, Periya Semur, Sampath Nagar, Thindal, Surampatty and
Kasipalayam.

It also has special counters at its main office on Brough Road. The civic administration has over 1.16 lakh assessees.