Taxmen use drum beaters to shame defaulters

The cash-strapped Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) in Andhra Pradesh could teach a lesson or two to credit card companies whose high-handed collection methods often raise hackles.

The cash-strapped Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) in Andhra Pradesh could teach a lesson or two to credit card companies whose high-handed collection methods often raise hackles.

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The corporation, battling large-scale property tax default by its residents, has now hired dandoras (drum-beaters) to shame the tax defaulters, which include not only households but also government offices, top-notch schools and colleges, cinema theatres and corporate houses. The officials accompanied by the drumbeaters descend in front of the houses or properties of the tax defaulters and create a racket, which attracts people, till the defaulters pay up.

“The method has proved to be quite fruitful. We have collected Rs five crore in the past ten days,” says Deputy Commissioner of GMC, N Yadgiri. He says that the corporation has hired half a dozen Dandora teams for the purpose. They work from morning 7 am to 2 pm.