The Indian Express 02.08.2012
RTI: Property tax defaulters owe PCMC Rs 400-crore dues
Madigiris seek action against property tax department
An RTI query filed by two BJP corporators has revealed that
70,000 property holders in Pimpri-Chinchwad have not paid property tax
dues, collectively pegged at over Rs 407 crore. And the dues have been
pending for over 10 years.
The information was given by Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal
Corporation’s (PCMC) property tax department in response to an RTI query
by BJP corporator Varsha Madigeri and her husband Vilas Madigeri,
vice-president, Pimpri-Chinchwad unit of BJP. Based on the RTI reply,
Madigeris have demanded action against errant officials for what they
called as “loss” caused by them through their inaction.
There are 2.96 lakh properties in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Of these,
2.43 lakh are residential and the remaining are commercial. The RTI
reply reveals 39 defaulters have dues of over Rs 50 lakh each, with
collective arrears pegged at Rs 146.18 crore. Over 62,000 defaulters owe
PCMC dues ranging from Rs 5,000 to 50,000. Their total arrears amount
to Rs 113.65 crore.
Madigiri said 44 defaulters have not paid taxes in the range of
Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh each. Their total dues amount to Rs 14.73
crore.
As many as 136 defaulters have dues in the range of Rs 10 lakh to
Rs 25 lakh, totalling Rs 20.47 crore; 256 defaulters owe Rs 5 to Rs 10
lakh each; 3,183 owe Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; 4,760 defaulters owe Rs
50,000 to 1 lakh each.
Vilas said the arrears should be recovered without giving any
concession. An inquiry should be conducted against the defaulting
companies that have closed down.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi said the
arrears are not in the range of Rs 407 crore, but around Rs 300 crore.
“Property tax to be collected for 2012-13 too has been shown as
outstanding which is not correct.”
Assistant Municipal Commissioner Shahji Pawar also said the
amount was not Rs 407 crore, but has come down. “The government has
given us a waiver of Rs 54 crore besides a court verdict for Rs 70 crore
has gone against us. And Rs 32 crore has been recovered,” he said.
Pawar said the total arrears till March 31, 2012, could be around Rs
300.
He added, “We are taking legal opinion and working on the recovery.”
