NEW DELHI: Alarmed over its dipping property tax collections, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has decided to act against Government institutions and private parties that fall in the list of major defaulters. It has already sent notices to the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Jal Board and some hotels and clubs asking them to clear their dues immediately.

The MCD has sent a notice to the DDA stating that it has failed to deposit tax for all its properties. "The DDA is supposed to pay tax for its 340 properties but it is paying that for 133 only. We have sent a notice to the DDA asking them to pay tax for the remaining properties also. These properties mainly include parks being used for marriages and other functions, and community centres. When they are earning revenue from these facilities, they need to pay taxes to us also," said a senior Assessment and Collection Department official.

Similarly, the civic body has asked the Delhi Jal Board to clarify its position on 1,735 properties for which it had paid the tax as last year this figure was around 1,100. The Assessment and Collection Department has also given notices to six pollution treatment centres of various agencies, Government-owned Bharat Petroleum, Delhi Golf Club, Vikram Hotel in Lajpat Nagar, Rockland Hospital and Panchsheel Club. Since the Department increased its effort over a month ago, property tax worth over Rs.24 crores have been collected so far, while the target is almost Rs.900 crores.

Significantly, the top Government defaulters include Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (Rs.400 crores), Delhi Jal Board (Rs.312 crores), Delhi Development Authority (Rs.203 crores), Transco (Rs.22 crores), colleges and universities (Rs.15 crores), Central Public Works Department (Rs.4 crores), Public Works Department (Rs.3 crores), Delhi Police (Rs.2.5 crores), Delhi Transport Corporation (Rs.1.68 crores) and new Delhi Secretariat (Rs.65 lakhs).

For 2005-06, the MCD has set up a target of Rs.1,370 crores to be collected from property tax

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