Make hay while the sun shines, seems to be Nagpur Municipal Corporation officials' and property tax assessors' mantra. As BJP and Congress leaders continue to argue over Chief Minister's new order regarding property tax, issued on March 6, the NMC administration is trying to wriggle out of the situation.
Meanwhile, the common man continues to be harassed, confused and fleeced by assessors appointed by NMC.
Fearing stern action, NMC officials and tax assessors are forcing residents to clear their dues. Harried residents, some ignorant and others misguided, are falling into the trap and paying huge amounts.
One such victim, a resident of Naikgalli in Itwari, admitted to having paid a sum of Rs 44,757 on March 8 (2 days after the CM's order). He even furnished receipts issued by NMC for the same. The receipts, copies of which are with TOI, clearly reveal that the tax was collected as per the hiked base rate. "Now that I have paid the tax as per Rs 10 base rate, will I be compensated?" asked the Itwari resident.
Shankar Gulani, secretary of Nagpur Municipal Corporation Housing Tax Grievance Redressal Society said, "When they have already received CM's orders, why are they continuing to collect taxes as per Rs 10 base rate? The public is confused. In many cases, people wish to pay taxes but their files and accounts are missing from NMC records. It is a complete mess."
An upset standing committee chief Sandip Joshi had informed TOI on March 8 that he had instructed all the assessment agents to halt work. On Thursday, Joshi convened a meeting which was attended by property tax department officials, zonal officers and additional commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare.
During the meeting, it was decided to collect arrears only for the post-2008 period and also it was decided to collect fresh taxes as per the old system, wherein properties are categorised as residential or non-residential and tax is calculated on rental value of the property.
"Mayor Archana Dehankar has also convened a meeting on March 12 at 10.30am at Standing Committee hall in Civil Lines. All the NMC leaders including opposition party leaders have been invited for the meeting. A final decision will be taken on that day to clear the ambiguity," said Joshi.
CM Prithviraj Chavan had released a fresh order on March 6 staying the decision of the then municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta to calculate property tax on basis of Rs 10 per sq metre base rate. Both BJP and Congress leaders from the city had held rallies in the city on Monday. While Congress lauded CM's decision, BJP criticised it.
"BJP is deliberately spreading confusion among residents. CM's stay order clearly states that tax must be levied as per earlier system based on rental value of the property. I have written to the municipal commissioner to either refund the excess money collected from residents or adjust the excess against next tax bill," opposition leader Vikas Thakre said.
Meanwhile, the common man continues to be harassed, confused and fleeced by assessors appointed by NMC.
Fearing stern action, NMC officials and tax assessors are forcing residents to clear their dues. Harried residents, some ignorant and others misguided, are falling into the trap and paying huge amounts.
One such victim, a resident of Naikgalli in Itwari, admitted to having paid a sum of Rs 44,757 on March 8 (2 days after the CM's order). He even furnished receipts issued by NMC for the same. The receipts, copies of which are with TOI, clearly reveal that the tax was collected as per the hiked base rate. "Now that I have paid the tax as per Rs 10 base rate, will I be compensated?" asked the Itwari resident.
Shankar Gulani, secretary of Nagpur Municipal Corporation Housing Tax Grievance Redressal Society said, "When they have already received CM's orders, why are they continuing to collect taxes as per Rs 10 base rate? The public is confused. In many cases, people wish to pay taxes but their files and accounts are missing from NMC records. It is a complete mess."
An upset standing committee chief Sandip Joshi had informed TOI on March 8 that he had instructed all the assessment agents to halt work. On Thursday, Joshi convened a meeting which was attended by property tax department officials, zonal officers and additional commissioner Ravindra Kumbhare.
During the meeting, it was decided to collect arrears only for the post-2008 period and also it was decided to collect fresh taxes as per the old system, wherein properties are categorised as residential or non-residential and tax is calculated on rental value of the property.
"Mayor Archana Dehankar has also convened a meeting on March 12 at 10.30am at Standing Committee hall in Civil Lines. All the NMC leaders including opposition party leaders have been invited for the meeting. A final decision will be taken on that day to clear the ambiguity," said Joshi.
CM Prithviraj Chavan had released a fresh order on March 6 staying the decision of the then municipal commissioner Aseem Gupta to calculate property tax on basis of Rs 10 per sq metre base rate. Both BJP and Congress leaders from the city had held rallies in the city on Monday. While Congress lauded CM's decision, BJP criticised it.
"BJP is deliberately spreading confusion among residents. CM's stay order clearly states that tax must be levied as per earlier system based on rental value of the property. I have written to the municipal commissioner to either refund the excess money collected from residents or adjust the excess against next tax bill," opposition leader Vikas Thakre said.
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