Hyderabad residents jittery over property tax, water details

Hyderabad: The inclusion of Property Tax Numbers and Water Tax connection details in the final four-page proforma of the Intensive Housing Survey,  especially for the residents of Greater Hyderabad, has put several property owners on tenterhooks. These two numbers will expose those having illegal water connections and those paying less property tax.

This has only been done to simplify the civic body and Water Board’s task in identifying defaulters and tax evaders. Many residents pay less property tax by disclosing lesser area. The same goes for unauthorised water connections. With these two questions in the survey form, revenue for both the corporations is likely to increase from this year on.

There are more than one lakh illegal water connections in Greater Hyderabad. A survey conducted by the Administrative Staff College of India revealed thousands of illegal connections in the three surrounding municipalities of Malkajgiri, LB Nagar and Kukatpally alone.

In 2014, six cases were booked and three people were arrested for possessing illegal water connections. If the person does not have a Costumer Account Number (CAN), then it is an illegal connection. The Water Board supplies 340 million gallons of water in the city, but gets paid for only 210 MGD.

The GHMC does not have concrete data on property owners, and many people cheat the corporation by paying less tax in comparison to the space occupied.

Owners also run commercial establishments on the ground floor and reside on the first floor, but pay only residential tax for the entire building.  With the inclusion of property tax and water tax connection details, the civic body will be now be able to identify defaulters.