Date:09/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/09/stories/2009010954630300.htm

Other States - Puducherry

Special camps launched to recover property tax arrears

Staff Reporter

Camps being held in wards of municipality in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry Municipality has launched special recovery camps to realise property tax arrears and current dues .

Municipal officials said that the camps were preliminary arrangement to facilitate the public to pay property tax dues at a particular place that was close to their residence.

“The camps are being held in the wards of the municipality. It was started on Monday and will go on till January 29. The camp was held for three days at Muthialpet. We will organise camps in 14 wards in the town limits,” a local body official said.

This way, the municipal councillors would be able to inform the public and help in realising arrears and dues. “We want to ensure zero per cent arrears and will work hard to achieve it within six months,” he added.

“Coercive steps”

However, the municipality would take “coercive steps” to collect tax arrears if people fail to clear the arrears within the stipulated period of the special camps.

“There will be no requests then. If people do not clear their arrears by January 29, we will go for coercive action,” he said.

After property tax, the municipality would go on to other forms of taxes including professional tax, step by step, he added.

Municipal officials, chairman and councillors were present at the inauguration of special recovery camps in the town limits on Thursday.