4 lakh property owners in City are defaulters

The Palike had launched a campaign to identify properties for which tax had not been paid. Teams were constituted at ward level to obtain information from property owners.

Of the estimated 15 lakh properties in the City, tax has been paid for only 10 lakh structures, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) D L Chandrashek- har told Deccan Herald. The campaign, scheduled to be launched in August, was delayed by about two months.
Ward-level teams are now going door to door collecting a wide range of information about owners, tenants, commercial/domestic usage, the extent, etc. The task will be completed by December 31.

The Palike had launched a programme for online documentation of property details using the Geological Information System about two years ago. Identification of defaulters would have become an easy task if the data was put online. However, details are yet to be documented. Chandrashekhar said the property details were being matched with the self-assessment declaration furnished by the owners.Notices will be slapped on the defaulters from January 1 and such owners have no opportunity for self-assessing their properties.

The Palike staff will assess the tax which will have to be paid within 15 days. Legal action, including attachment of movables and recovery of rent, will be initiated apart from issuing a public notice to defaulters, he said.

Rs 944-cr tax collected
In a sort of much relief, the mendicant BBMP has raked in a whopping sum of Rs 944 crore in the form of property tax so far during the current financial year.

BBMP Commissioner Siddiah said about 10.50 lakh owners have paid tax so far and tax from the rest will be collected with penalty after the conclusion of the special drive.  Ten lakh owners had paid Rs 798 crore as tax during 2009-10, he said.