The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mayor for strict action against property tax defaulters

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mayor for strict action against property tax defaulters

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 9. Be careful if you haven't paid your property tax.

If the Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, has his way, your power or water supply could be disconnected.

On Wednesday, the Mayor told presspersons here: "Now, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) is authorised to confiscate the movable property of a habitual defaulter. But that does not ensure that he pays regularly. We should be allowed to get the defaulter's power or water supply disconnected."

The Mayor said this during a visit to HMT and Jalahalli wards.

Mr. Ramesh said he would urge the State Government to amend the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act to authorise the BMP to initiate such stringent action against property tax defaulters.

"When the Telecom Department, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM), and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) can disconnect their services if the consumers do not pay on time, why can't the BMP take such a drastic step if people evade tax," he asked.

Pointing out that property tax was the only source of income for the civic body, the Mayor said he had asked the officials to draft the proposal.

Though the city has over 10 lakh properties, only 5,38,000 had been included in the tax net, he said and blamed the officials for that.

"This indicates that the revenue officials in the BMP are not efficient. Therefore, we plan to hire the services of non-governmental organisations to conduct a survey of all properties using digital mapping," Mr. Ramesh said.

During the visit, the Mayor assured the residents of Jalahalli that the four km. stretch of road from MES Circle to Yeshwanthpur would be converted into a service road.

He directed the officials to start work at the earliest.

Responding to an appeal by the residents of Harijan Colony in Peenya 4th block of HMT ward, the Mayor said he would ensure that the colony got water and Underground Drainage (UGD) lines under the BMP's 18 per cent grants for the weaker sections.

He also promised a community hall for the residents.

The Mayor appreciated the work executed by the BWSSB to provide water and UGD lines in Bahubalinagar of Jalahalli.

He said work on remodelling the Hebbal valley would start soon.

He also visited Platinum City, HMT Jala Soudha, Rajagopal Circle, Hesarghatta Pipeline Road, Ramabhovi Colony, Hoysala Circle, Jalahalli village, and surrounding areas.

The Deputy Mayor, G. Basavaraju, the area corporators, Narayan Swamy and B.R. Nanjundappa, the Deputy Commissioner (West), H.V. Parshwanath, the Chief Engineer (West), Someshekaraiah, and the Chief Health Officer, G. Lokesh, accompanied the Mayor.

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