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PCMC to snap water supply of tax defaulters
The decision follows a recent Bombay High Court order on February 15 regarding a writ petition, which was filed in 2023 against the Maharashtra government, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) and others for disconnection of water connections for pending tax dues
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has decided to intensify its drive against tax defaulters and disconnect individual water tap connections for pending dues. However, the decision has caused unrest among the residents, who claim uninterrupted water supply is a fundamental right.
The decision follows a recent Bombay High Court order on February 15 regarding a writ petition, which was filed in 2023 against the Maharashtra government, Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) and others for disconnection of water connections for pending tax dues.
The PCMC officials in the statement, said, ‘During the hearing, the court made a significant observation stating, this is indeed a matter of concern to us because we cannot conceive of a situation where a property owner refuses to pay property tax and yet demands municipal services,’ they said.
Nilesh Deshmukh, assistant commissioner of PCMC, said that with just ten days remaining for the deadline (March 31), and over ₹ 580 crore property tax dues pending, the civic body has no other option left.
“The tax dues worth ₹ 300 crores are pending with people who are in a capacity to pay. If the citizens don’t pay the taxes, how can we provide services?” he said.
The PCMC has 6.30 lakh registered properties, including commercial and residential properties. So far, the civic body has recovered ₹860 crore as taxes from these properties. However, there are still 1.77 lakh tax defaulters who owe a total of ₹580 crore of property tax to PCMC. Out of the total tax due, ₹ 400 crore is pending from residential properties, which is a cause of concern. It is worth noting that over ₹ 300 crore of the pending tax dues are from property owners residing in housing societies, individual houses and bungalows, while ₹ 100 crore in property taxes are due from slums and urban poor housing societies.
Deshmukh further said, “If the taxes are not paid the quality of services provided by the civic body drops and due to poor services citizens refrain from paying tax dues.”
The PCMC will ask the housing societies to publish the list of defaulters on the WhatsApp group and society notice board. A three-day written deadline will be given to the defaulter in the society to disconnect the internal tap connection. The office bearers of individual societies should disconnect the connection, or the action will be taken by the civic body.
Sanjeevan Sangale, chairman, Chikhali Moshi Pimpri-Chinchwad Housing Societies Federation (CMPCHSF), said, people should pay the property tax and the PCMC should pay for disconnection and reconnection of water taps.
Sudhir Deshmukh, secretary Pimpri-Chinchwad Housing Society Federation, said, the enforcement of the action will be a challenge for the civic body.
“Housing societies have one common water connection for all. To disconnect one individual connection involves manpower, and expenses are incurred. The directions from PCMC are not clear. Also, the chairman and secretary of the society has no power to take any action or cannot do discrimination,” he said.
