BANGALORE: Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has decided to black list advertisement tax defaulters who are yet to pay around `22 crore to BBMP.
On February 2, Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda issued a circular to his officials directing them to write letters to the authorised agencies for hoardings in private areas and collect the pending advertisements tax fee, if any. The Commissioner also directed officials to renew displaying advertisement hoardings for the year 2011-12, only after collecting the pending advertisement fee for the year 2010-11.
However, he also said that those who have not received the letter and have pending advertisement tax fee, should pay through demand draft in the name of BBMP Commissioner and submit the same in respective zonal commissioner.
He also directed them to ‘black list’ the advertisement tax defaulters.
When contacted, Shankarlinge Gowda said that they have identified the advertisement tax defaulters. “We sent them notices (agencies) in this regard. However, not many turned up. So we decided to blacklist them,” he said.
However, official sources from BBMP said that the notices they sent have not reached the authority concerned. “Many of the addresses the agencies have registered are false. We have got those notices back,” sources said.
Y M Ramachandramurthy, BBMP Deputy Commissioner (Advertisements) said that there are around 300 agencies who have taken 2069 authorised hoardings in BBMP limits. Many of them have not paid the previous arrears amounting to Rs 6 crore. Another `6 crore has to be paid by these agencies for the renewal of their hoardings for the next six months.
However, Ramachandramurthy said, “We are sending notices to the advertisement tax defaulters and if they fail to pay, their names will be blacklisted. Once it is blacklisted, they cannot bid in any of BBMP auctions in future,” he said.
Ramachandra Murthy said that the agencies who are authorised to advertise on BBMP properties including bus shelters, electric poles, sky walks and police umbrella, have to pay at least Rs 10 crore to BBMP.
“Earlier they (agencies) had to pay Rs 16 crore. So far we have received Rs 4 crore and remaining agencies are in the process of paying. Once it is finalised and we will prepare the list of advertisement tax defaulters and black list their names,” he said.