Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Corporation to reduce rate of property tax

MADURAI: Bowing to popular protest, the Corporation administration has decided to reduce the rate of revision of property tax for commercial and industrial establishments.

The Mayor, G. Thenmozhi, announced a graded revision for different types of commercial buildings instead of the proposed flat upward revision of 150 per cent for all commercial buildings on Friday.

In a resolution moved by her at the council meeting, the Mayor said that the rate of revision of tax for handloom buildings and cinema halls would be 50 per cent, while buildings housing powerlooms, middle-category industrial units and ‘C’ and ‘D’ grade shops would attract 75 per cent higher taxes.

The tax revision for bigger industrial units and for ‘A’ and ‘B’ grade commercial establishments has been fixed at 100 per cent.

Marriage halls, lodges and special buildings have been given the highest tax revision of 125 per cent.

“The rate of taxes has been re-considered following petitions received by various quarters and the requests made by all-party councillors. It has been fixed in such a manner that the public were not affected and at the same time to augment the income for the Corporation,” the Mayor said.

Corporation officials were flayed for not taking precautionary measures to prevent the city from getting flooded during monsoons.

Councillors from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Congress said that several residential areas were marooned during the recent rainfall.

The CPI (M) leader, M. Ganesan, wanted to know why officials turned their attention to removing blocks in channels only after the flood water entered the city. “Why should they not take up precautionary measures,” he said.

His complaint of official’s failure to desilt the Sellur channel was supported by the North Zone Chairman, K. Esakkimuthu. “The flooded scene at the Sellur area because of monsoon this year was no different from that of last year. It is because of the lackadaisical attitude of the Public Works Department the city is suffering,” he alleged.

The CPI (M) member, M. Palanichamy, complained that encroachments on channels were not being removed while taking up lining work. He wondered why officials should be on their toes only after the rain water flooded the city. S. Rengammal of Pudur complained that every year rainwater put people living in low lying areas to difficulty and sought permanent remedial measures.

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