Chandigarh MC fails to recover Rs 41 cr from ad firms

Tribune News Service

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, April 14

Over Rs. 41-crore advertisement fee and arrears of the cash-starved Municipal Corporation are lying pending with seven advertisement agencies for years as the authorities have failed to recover these.

In 2018, the MC had approached the Deputy Commissioner, who had then issued notices to the defaulting firms for the recovery of the arrears as per the Land Revenue Act. However, nothing happened after that and the arrears mounted.

“Had the MC approached the Registrar of Companies for blacklisting these firms, the latter would have cleared the payment in no time. However, the MC failed to do so,” said a source privy to the development. MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra said, “We have already served a reminder on the DC for recovering the arrears.” According to the figures provided by the corporation, Selvel Media Services Pvt Ltd tops the defaulters’ list. It owes a whopping Rs. 33,91,16,422 to the civic body. The CBI, Chandigarh, in 2019, had even written to the UT Adviser-cum-Chief Vigilance Officer to blacklist Selvel Media and Outdoor Communications.

A complaint was earlier filed in the Vigilance Department alleging that the MC’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD) was caught in an audio sting while advising the director of Selvel on how to escape paying the penalty in this case.

In 2007, these agencies were allotted the work on advertisement on 86 toilet blocks. However, after paying the advertisement fee for some time, they stopped paying it. Due to the alleged lackadaisical attitude of officials, the agencies were not approached to pay the fee.

The matter came to light in 2014 when the then Commissioner, VP Singh, and his OSD found out that these firms owed crores to the civic body and then recovery notices were served on them. However, the matter continue to linger on.

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