Property tax amnesty over, Ambala civic bodies tighten noose on evaders

Nitin Jain

Tribune News Service

Ambala, November 25

With the extended amnesty scheme offering 25 per cent rebate on arrears getting over, the civic bodies in the twin towns of Ambala have once again tightened the noose around property tax defaulters.

Besides targeting private defaulters, the MCs have also put the government departments on final notice for default in property tax payment.

Of the total arrears of over Rs 36 crore, both the civic bodies have been able to recover over Rs 17.5 crore from the defaulters before the amnesty scheme, offering 25 per cent rebate without penal interest, ended on October 31.

In Ambala City, several government departments owe over Rs 3 crore to the Municipal Corporation, which has asked the defaulting departmental heads to clear the arrears without any further delay, else the civic body would be constrained to initiate punitive action for the recovery of the tax.

While Rs 7 crore tax was yet to be recovered in Ambala City, over 500 property owners have not paid Rs 11.5 crore arrears in Ambala Cantonment.

Earlier in March, the civic bodies of Ambala twin towns had launched a drive to seal the properties of major defaulters under the provisions of the MC Act and drag them to competent courts for the recovery of arrears but later, the drive was put off due to the Covid lockdown.

“Since the commercial and business operations resumed in June, we have asked the defaulters to immediately clear their arrears otherwise we will formally declare them defaulters and resume the properties of major habitual offenders,” said a senior MC official.

Before the amnesty scheme was launched, Ambala City MC was struggling to collect Rs 16 crore property tax arrears from almost 1.56 lakh owners for the past seven years (2011-11 to 2018-19) while over 1,000 defaulters owed Rs 20 crore tax to the Municipal Council in Ambala Cantonment.

Availing the benefit of the amnesty scheme, a majority of the defaulters had paid their arrears while the remaining will be taken to task, the officer said.

Meanwhile, Ambala City MC Commissioner Parth Gupta instructed the civic officials in the district to expedite the recovery of the remaining arrears and initiate legal proceedings, including sealing the premises, against the major defaulters, who fail to clear the arrears.

GOVT DEPTS OWE Rs 3CR TO MC IN AMBALA CITY

• In Ambala City, several government departments owe over Rs3 crore to the Municipal Corporation
• The property tax defaulters include marriage palace and other commercial establishments
• While Rs7 crore tax was yet to be recovered in Ambala City, over 500 property owners have not paid Rs11.5 crore arrears in Ambala Cantonment