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Encroachment row: Ramlila Committee responds to Ludhiana MC notice, seeks tax exemption
Earlier on October 5, the Ludhiana MC had served notice to the Ramlila committee regarding encroachments stating that around 30 stalls were installed by the fair contractor on roadside outside the mela ground without permission and had directed the committee members to submit a reply with the MC to avoid action.
Amid row over encroachments on roadside in the form of stalls outside Daresi Dussehra mela, the members of Ramlila Committee met municipal corporation (MC) joint commissioner Ankur Mahindroo on Friday and submitted a reply against the notice served by the MC two days back.
While the MC is preparing to collect tehbazaari fee (for stalls) and property tax against the ground rented out to the fair contractor by the committee, the latter has sought exemption from any kind of tax, stating that the fair is organised at the same site for decades and stalls are only installed for around 10-12 days. The members of the committee said the fair has historic significance.
As per the MC officials, the tax amount for the current year alone will be over ₹13-14 lakh.
Earlier on October 5, the MC had served notice to the Ramlila committee stating that around 30 stalls were installed by the fair contractor on roadside outside the mela ground without permission and had directed the committee members to submit a reply with the MC to avoid action.
The notice was served on the recommendations of MLA (Ludhiana Central) Ashok Prashar Pappi after he highlighted the issue during the MC House meeting held on October 4. Prashar alleged that the committee had earned a revenue of around ₹1.3 crore from the fair contractor, who was further charging ₹2.5 lakh for each stall installed on roadside. But no fee or tax was submitted with the MC even when stalls were illegally installed on roadsides, he added.
Criticising action against vends, senior deputy mayor Sham Sundar Malhotra, area councillor Prabhjot Kaur, BJP councillor Sunita Rani, during the House meeting, had stated that the festival season was the only time for small and financially weak vendors to earn some extra profits.
Malhotra also accompanied the committee members while submitting the reply with the joint commissioner on Friday.
Meanwhile, the joint commissioner said the reply by the committee members was now being looked into by officials. Required action would be taken as per the norms, he added.
