MCB plans to intensify drive to recover outstanding tax

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, June 14

The Municipal Corporation Bathinda (MCB) has planned to intensify the drive to recover the outstanding sewerage/water and property house tax by tightening the noose around the defaulters in the city.

On the directions of the MCB Commissioner, three teams have been constituted for the recovery of pending bills, which will recover bills by going door to door in the city and whosoever will not pay the bill on the spot, then notice of cutting its connection would be issued, so that after completing legal formalities, action can be initiated against the defaulter.

In the first phase, the MCB is issuing a warning, but once the notice time is completed then action would be taken. The MCB Commissioner has directed the sewerage-water and property tax branch officials that what they can do they should do to intensify the pending recovery of taxes in the city. He has even also stated that if it is required to seal or to cut the connection, they should do it as he wants recovery.

It is pertinent to mention that one week ago Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has instructed all the commissioners of the corporations that they should expect money or grant from the state government and instead they should start generating income at their own level.

He asked corporations to lay emphasis on tax recovery and that he would visit the corporations and check the recovery work.

It is also worth mentioning that the MCB had outstanding sewerage/water bills to the tune of Rs 14 crore for the last 15 years. Earlier this amount was Rs 6-7 crore. While MCB officials always save their skins stating shortage of staff as a major reason behind this outstanding tax amount.

Sewerage-water branch superintendent Makhan Lal said after the directions of the minister, the recovery drive has been intensified as even two-member teams have also been constituted, which will go door to door in the city and collect the outstanding amount, if anyone will not pay then connections will be cut on the spot.