Continuing its crackdown on tax defaulters, the Panchkula municipal corporation has issued notices to 14 more government departments that owe it ₹12.89 crore in property tax.
The action comes a week after the civic body had served notices on seven government department over property tax dues worth ₹15.67 crore.
If dues are not paid within 15 days, buildings of the tax defaulters will be sealed, as per officials.
The notices have been issued under Sections 95 and 130 of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.
The notice served to Bharat Electronics Limited, Industrial Area, Phase 3, stated, “Your department’s 40 properties situated within the municipal limits of Panchkula have property tax dues amounting to (over) ₹18 lakh.”
Another notice sent to the joint secretary, CBSE Office, Sector 5, informed the board about dues worth ₹25 lakh.
The third notice was sent to the Government Youth Hostel, Sector 3, regarding tax dues amounting to ₹66.52 lakh.
The fourth defaulter is the secretary, District Red Cross, with dues over ₹21.77 lakh.
A notice was also issued to director, horticulture department, Sector 21, for unpaid tax worth ₹95.16 lakh against three properties. Another notice was served on the ITBP, Sector 30, whose five properties owe MC ₹4.35 crore.
{{/usCountry}}A notice was also issued to director, horticulture department, Sector 21, for unpaid tax worth ₹95.16 lakh against three properties. Another notice was served on the ITBP, Sector 30, whose five properties owe MC ₹4.35 crore.
{{/usCountry}}The notice to the director, printing and stationary department, has sought payment of dues worth ₹29.56 lakh.
Among the remaining seven defaulters, five are Haryana government departments, including sports and youth affairs ( ₹4.23 crore), tourism ( ₹83.38 lakh), social justice ( ₹43.34 lakh), public works ( ₹27.36 lakh) and transport ( ₹2.14 lakh).
Besides, department of posts owes MC ₹8.71 lakh and State Bank of India, Sector 5, another ₹8.69 lakh.
Property tax is a major source of revenue for the corporation. Currently, there are over 19,000 property tax defaulters in Panchkula, with unpaid tax worth over ₹100 crore. The major defaulters are government buildings that owe MC over ₹50 crore.
The dues are pending since 2010, when the municipal corporation of Panchkula was constituted. In 2013, a notification was issued by the Haryana government to collect property tax retrospectively from 2010.
Recently, MLA Gian Chand Gupta had directed the corporation to seal government buildings if they fail to pay the tax.