Ghaziabad: Kavi Nagar residents, RWAs protest property-tax hike

Residents said that they have been getting tax bills that are 3 to 5 times higher than the previous tax amount, while the corporation is not releasing the official minutes of the June 30 board meeting

Ghaziabad: Various RWAs and residents from Kavi Nagar carried out a protest march to the corporation’s Kavi Nagar zonal office against the property tax hike announced by the Ghaziabad municipal corporation.

The protesters marched to the corporation’s Kavi Nagar zonal office and handed over a memorandum to the officials. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Residents said that they have been getting tax bills that are 3 to 5 times higher than the previous tax amount, while the corporation is not releasing the official minutes of the June 30 board meeting where the House unanimously rejected the proposed hike.

“The residents have been getting the increased tax bills, and the increase is substantial. Officials are not releasing the minutes of the June 30 board meeting. Our RWA is protesting the move, and we have also put up banners on the entrances, asking residents not to pay up the hiked tax. Other RWAs from blocks A to M have also come out against the hiked tax,” said Amit Gupta, general secretary of B block RWA.

“The residents came out in large numbers and on short notice. The tax has been increased despite the corporation board rejecting it. This is why the corporation is not releasing the official minutes of the June 30 board meeting,” said Vijay Mohan, former councillor from Ward 91 of Kavi Nagar.

The protesters marched to the corporation’s Kavi Nagar zonal office and handed over a memorandum to the officials.

The June 30 meeting was called by mayor Sunita Dayal, and late in July a group of councillors also staged protests at the corporation headquarters for two days.

“Even after written assurances, the official minutes of the June 30 board meeting have not been released while the residents are getting the hiked tax bills. A group of councillors and former councillors came to Lucknow and met AK Sharma, the urban development minister, and also Aseem Arun, the minister in-charge of Ghaziabad. We apprised them about the issues and resentment prevailing among Ghaziabad residents related to the hiked tax,” said Gaurav Solanki, councillor from ward 76 of Vaishali – 1.

City mayor Sunita Dayal said she has already said that the residents should not pay up the hiked tax.

“This I have reiterated previously too. On the other hand, the residents must also make self-assessment of properties so that actual tax can be ascertained. I have asked officials not to send hiked tax bills. The official minutes of the June 30 meeting are yet to be released. It is the right of the residents to protest. On the other hand, the development works will also be carried out on the basis of availability of funds,” Dayal added.