Instead of resorting to pressure tactics such as seizing assets, demolishing walls or dumping garbage bins in front of the premises of property tax defaulters, amiable solutions of discussion and persuasion were preferred by the civic body, said GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer Somesh Kumar.
Till Monday, the civic body has collected Rs.674 crore of this year’s targeted demand of Rs.1,464 crore, which happens to be Rs.97 crore more than last year during the corresponding period.
“We do not believe in harsh actions against defaulters of property tax. Most are willing to listen to persuasion and that’s the first line we are adopting,” said Mr.Somesh Kumar. There were some with grievances on the way the property tax was calculated for their premises and the civic body wants such issues to be sorted out through discussion instead of them heading to the courts.
“If one is not convinced about the tax calculation, we are asking them to come and discuss the issue with our officers. Genuine cases will be re-evaluated and most are coming forward for a resolution,” he said. Last year, more than 400 such instances were handled through negotiations by the civic body.
However, the habitual defaulters would be dealt with in appropriate manner including issue of red notice. “The major defaulters are around 18,000 who are holding up around Rs.478 crore. Our focus is on making them clear the dues and also pay the current demand,” the Commissioner said.
The civic body has to collect the property tax from around 64,669 non-residential properties in the city and that’s where efforts were to raise the amount. As a special drive, each of the deputy commissioners have been asked to go after the top 1,000 defaulters in their jurisdiction and the drive also involves 337 nodal officers and 1,450 outreach staff.
