E-Paper
Your Space: PCMC notice illegal, creates panic among resident
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) plans to snap water connection of individuals with property tax dues. Readers say harassing citizens isn’t the right step
PCMC is resorting to illegal means and methods by harassing citizens
Housing complexes take common water connection and thereafter distribute the water through internal water pipeline network. Disconnecting the entire housing societies water supply connection only because a few individual flat owners have not paid property tax dues is unfair to other residents who pay taxes on time. As a part of such procedure PCMC is bound to issue notices in specific format, conducting a dialogue with the defaulter only. The act of unilaterally having the entire housing complex, their chairman, secretary and managing committee members involved in property tax recovery is completely illegal. Such individuals are performing their duties in honorary capacity, and only for the welfare of their housing complexes. They are not your servants. As law abiding citizens they are bound only to cooperate with PCMC in their lawful actions towards property tax recovery.
Satya Muley
PCMC has no right to disconnect water supply
Attempting to hold the entire housing complex responsible, their chairman, secretary and office bearers accountable, penalise the other regular property tax payers for the defaults of only some, is completely against the principles of natural justice and is totally unilateral, arbitrary and illegal. The S. 128 of Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act 1949, and its relevant rules nowhere gives authority to the PCMC to disconnect water connections of entire housing complex with the objective of recovering outstanding overdue property tax from only few defaulting flat owners.
Uday Sabade
PCMC must refrain from issuing such notices/circulars
Action initiated by the PCMC is against the law and aimed at harassing the tax paying citizens That is to say, we are a nation governed by democratic government. PCMC is a local body set up for the purpose of welfare of the citizens at local level and not for the purpose of oppressing them by issuing such circulars/warning notices. On the contrary PCMC on a daily basis is failing to provide fresh drinking and domestic use water to even to the residents who are regular property taxpayers. PCMC must refrain from issuing such notices/circulars which are illegal, as it generates panic in members of common people. If any act of disconnection of entire housing society, or any coercive action disconnecting any domestic use water connection is undertaken by PCMC and there residential housing federations shall not hesitate to take all appropriate legal action to safeguard the rights of the residents of cooperative housing societies and apartment complexes in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation jurisdiction. This shall also mean approaching the Bombay High Court or if the need be the Supreme Court of India. We will ensure that strict legal action is taken against PCMC for this mindless circular.
Gautum Shinde
