The representatives of various civil society organisations who participated in the meeting organised by Shivamogga City Corporation here on Monday to elicit suggestions from the public on its budget for 2020-21 have suggested for measures to prevent evasion of tax and statutory fee by owners of commercial buildings.
K.V. Vasanth Kumar of Shivamogga Nagarika Hitarakshana Vedikegala Okkuta said the actual built-up area of some private health establishments in the city was much more than what they have taken permission for from the corporation. He demanded that the corporation levy fines on owners of such buildings for illegal construction and collect property tax for the additional built-up area from the present financial year. This would enhance the revenue of the corporation, he said.
He demanded that the corporation form a special team comprising of elected representatives and officials to identify such buildings and conduct a survey on the actual built-up area. Expressing displeasure that to evade the tax, some owners have constructed multi-storied structures after taking permission for construction of makeshift tin-roofed sheds, he pressed the corporation to announce measures to avoid tax evasion in the budget.
S.B. Ashok Kumar, a civil rights activist, said cracks had developed on the surface of concrete roads at Vidya Nagar and other localities in 2015-16. He demanded stern action against contractors who executed the sub-standard works. Referring to road development works being executed under the Smart City Project and with funds released under Chief Minister’s Small and Medium Towns Development Project, he said that, due precaution should be taken to maintain quality in these works.
The participants also demanded allocation of funds in the budget to provide safety equipment for civic workers and for immediate maintenance of roads after the monsoon rains. Latha Ganesh, Mayor; S.N. Channabasappa, Deputy Mayor and Chidananda Vatare, Commissioner, were present in the meeting.
