The Times of India: Pune: Tuesday, July 31, 2012.
An RTI inquiry has revealed that more than 70,000 property holders in Pimpri-Chinchwad have not paid property tax dues, amounting to Rs 407.47 crore, in the past 10 years.
The information was given by the property tax department of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in reply to an application under Right to Information (RTI) Act. The application was moved by Varsha Madigeri, group leader of BJP corporators, and Vilas Madigeri, vice-president, Pimpri Chinchwad unit of BJP.
The Madigeris have demanded action against the officials concerned in the tax department for causing loss to the municipal body.
Of the 2.96 lakh properties in Pimpri-Chinchwad, nearly 2.43 lakh are residential, while the remaining are commercial. There are 39 defaulters who have dues over Rs 50 lakh each, with the total arrears running into Rs 146.18 crore.
The reply states that 44 defaulters have not paid taxes in the range of Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh each. Their total dues amount to Rs 14.73 crore.
There are 136 defaulters who have dues in the range of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, totaling Rs 20.47 crore in arrears; 256 defaulters owe Rs 5 to Rs 10 lakh each; 3,183 owe Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh; 4,760 defaulters owe Rs 50,000 to 1 lakh each.
The largest number of defaulters (62,085) owe dues ranging from Rs 5,000 to 50,000. Their total arrears amounts to Rs 113.65 crore.
Vilas Madegiri said the arrears be recovered without giving any concession. An inquiry should be conducted against the defaulting companies that have closed down.
However, PCMC commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi said, "The arrears are not in the range of Rs 407 crore. Property tax to be collected for 2012-13 too has been shown as outstanding, which is not correct."
Assistant commissioner Shahji Pawar said, "The total arrears till March 31, 2012, was Rs 285.85 crore. Rupees 32.54 crore have been recovered till July 29.''
Of the remaining Rs 253.31 crore, about Rs 61.05 crore is locked in court cases. "We are taking legal opinion and working on the recovery. An amount of Rs 2.49 crore is locked in company liquidation cases, while Rs 47.77 crore is pending with the Pimpri Chinchwad New Township Development Authority. As the state government has taken a decision to waive PCNTDA dues, we are checking the legalities in this regard," Pawar said
Of the Rs 253.31 crore, only Rs 71.08 crore is recoverable. The department is sending reminder letters and pre-seizure notices to recover the dues, he added.
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