MADURAI: An RTI reply has revealed that rental arrears of more than Rs 2 crore are yet to be collected from shopkeepers at Mattuthavani vegetable and fruit markets. The RTI application was filed by an activist, S Muthukumar.
The Mattuthavani central vegetable market and fruit market are one of the largest markets in the district comprising 752 and 239 shops respectively. From sanitation till waste management, both the markets are under the management of the city corporation.
According to the information revealed, as on August 2023, a total of Rs 2,39,77,016 (2.39 crores) rental arrears by the traders at central vegetable market and Rs 63,61,560 (63.61 lakh) arrears by traders at the fruit market remain unpaid. Several shop owners have failed to pay the rent and the issue was also taken up in a meeting by the city corporation council members.
"Madurai corporation has been facing severe issues due to the tax arrears. Though corporations are taking measures, crores of rupees are unpaid. Such issues greatly affect the exchequer of the city corporation, making it difficult to initiate new schemes. Similar to how the HR and CE department publishes details of the tax defaulter publically, the corporation should install a banner with the names of tax defaulters details outside the market. Measures should be taken to collect tax arrears," said Muthukumar.
Official sources said actions are being taken towards collecting the tax arrears in the city. Special camps are being done to collect the pending arrears, they added.