Ludhiana MC seals 5 commercial properties as owners fail to pay property tax

The properties situated in Mahindra colony, Baba Gajja Jain colony, Sherpur chowk, Janakpuri and Industrial area, Ludhiana, were sealed. Owners of three units submitted ₹4-lakh with the civic body, following which the seals were removed. MC superintendent Rajeev Bhardwaj said zonal commissioner Sonam Chaudhary had directed the staff to take strict action against tax defaulters

Cracking down on defaulters, fund-starved municipal corporation (MC) on Wednesday sealed five commercial properties, in the areas falling under Zone-B of MC, whose owners failed to pay property tax to the civic body.

A property being sealed by the MC staff in Ludhiana over the failure of owner failure to pay tax to the civic body. (HT PHOTO)

The properties were situated in Mahindra colony, Baba Gajja Jain colony, Sherpur chowk, Janakpuri and Industrial area. Soon after the properties were sealed, owners of three units submitted ₹4-lakh with the civic body, following which the seals were removed.

MC superintendent Rajeev Bhardwaj said zonal commissioner Sonam Chaudhary had directed the staff to take strict action against defaulters. He said the drive would continue in the coming days.

Avail rebate on property tax

As per officials, residents can avail 10 per cent rebate on the payment of property tax for the current financial year by September 30. The officials said no rebate would be given from October 1 till December 31 and on payment of the tax between January 1 to March 31, 2023, 10 per cent penalty would be imposed.

MORE NEWS IN BRIEF

Ludhiana | In a bid to save its skin, LIT initiates drive to remove interlocking tiles around trees

Ludhiana Facing the heat of National Green Tribunal (NGT) and a local court directing the authorities to submit an action-taken report under an execution petition filed against pouring of concrete around the trees, Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) on Wednesday initiated a special drive to ensure the removal of interlocking tiles around trees, falling under its colonies and areas in the city. On Wednesday, a team of LIT officials, led by superintendent engineer (SE) Rakesh Garg, ensured the removal of interlocking tiles around trees in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (SBS Nagar), Maharishi Valmiki Nagar, Rajguru Nagar, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar (BRS Nagar) and Sarabha Nagar. Deputy commissioner-cum-chairperson of LIT Surabhi Malik said the drive was being carried out to ensure strict compliance with the orders of National Green Tribunal (NGT). She said notices were issued to all contractors engaged with LIT in this regard, following which a team of LIT was deputed exclusively to keep a check and take action against defaulting contractors. She said interlocking tiles would not be fixed around one-metre radius of trees.

PAC urges Centre to work towards preventing pollution

Ludhiana Hailing the inauguration of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Mohali by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, Public Action Committee (PAC)— an umbrella body of multiple NGOs working in different parts of the state— urged the Union government to work on preventing pollution too. The members of NGO said pollution, especially in the water bodies of the state, is causing cancer and dumping of untreated waste directly into the ground by industrial units is also causing contaminating groundwater . President of Bhai Ghanayia Cancer Roko Seva Society, Faridkot, Gurpreet Singh Chandbaja and member of PAC Jaskirat Singh stated said, “Cancer hospitals are required to treat residents, but the governments have not been paying heed to the real issue which is pollution being caused by industrial units. “ There are several pollution-related issues, including dumping of untreated industrial waste into Buddha Nullah, pollution caused by distillery in Zira etc, but both state and union governments have failed to act against the pollution-causing industry. Hospitals are required, but the government should eliminate the root cause of rising cancer cases in the state and that can be done only by taking action against these industries. We are not against the industry but it should be ensured that these industries should not pollute the water bodies of the state,” Jaskirat said, while adding that they appeal the PM to take focus on this issue.