CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation on Tuesday sealed the premises of a leading eye hospital on TTK Road, Alwarpet for operating without a valid licence and long-pending tax dues.
According to GCC authorities, Vasan Eye Care Hospital had been dodging commercial tax payments (`23 lakh) for more than three years. Since the healthcare unit was functioning from a rented building, there was a case pending between them and the building owner in the Madras High Court. Officials attributed this to delay in taking action against the hospital.
Also as per the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919, no place within the limits of the Chennai Corporation could be used for running trades or installing machineries, electric motors and other power equipments without a licence from the Chennai Corporation.
However, the optical section in Vasan Eye Care Hospital’s Alwarpet branch was found functioning without trade licence for years. A team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Corporation Zone IX Ramamoorthy and two assistant revenue officers also raided a few other commercial establishments on this stretch.