COIMBATORE: Desperate to shore up its revenue, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation’s (CCMC) has started to serve notices to tax assessees warning them of dire consequences including lock and seal action if they don’t pay up on time.
According to sources, the total demand for FY 2023-24 is Rs 518.69 crore. Of this, CCMC has so far collected around 60% which includes both the arrear and current demand. Though officials said serving notice is a routine procedure as the fiscal year is drawing to a close, residents are not amused, and slam the civic body.
Even though a month and a half is left in the fiscal year, CCMC has been serving notices to individuals who haven’t paid tax yet. The CCMC has warned public that actions including seizures as well as locking and sealing of the properties would be initiated if property tax is not paid on time. This has irked people.
“I had paid my property tax, water tax and other charges for the first half of the current FY in June and over the years, I’ve been regularly paying the taxes without delay. But suddenly, out of nowhere, a CCMC official served us a notice, demanding to pay tax in the next 10 days or face action,” said V Hariharan, a resident of Peelamedu, adding.
“Although we’ve got time till March 31, the civic body threatening to seize or seal the property if we fail to pay the tax within their timeframe is absolutely unacceptable.”
Sources in the CCMC said tax collection work has been expedited as Lok Sabha elections are around the corner. Once the election schedule is announced, bill collectors who are assigned for tax collection work now would be busy with election-related work. The CCMC should have avoided the threatening tone in the notices and instead sent simple reminders to people, opined social activists.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said they are facing criticism if they don’t ramp up the tax collection in the city and they are also being criticised even if the CCMC takes action to improve tax collection by serving notice.
“Although the time is available till March 31, people must come forward to pay tax before that. The notices are just to warn them and ensure the tax is collected quickly and not to threaten the people and create panic among the public. We will ensure people are not affected.”