Chennai: Cash-starved corporation pushes tax collectors to be tough

Chennai: Hefty contract bills and illogical projects including poorly planned stormwater drains and concretisation of city roads have made matters worse for the cash starved Chennai corporation. 

Left with no other option the civic body is now pressuring its tax collectors to target flats and apartments and ensure that there is no due from property tax payers. 

On the flip side the corporation has been delaying the insurance payments to its workers and the materials given to sanitary workers ranging from gloves to brooms have also ran out of stock, admit corporation insiders.

“Every year the civic body spends around Rs 1,500 crore on projects and maintenance taken up by private contractors, but what was once hinted to be a cost saving exercise has now left the corporation exchequer high and dry and there are pending payment bills to contractors worth more than Rs 200 crore”, admitted a senior corporation official.

“The poor financial support from the state and Amma canteen expenses have been draining the corporation for the last two years and the death relief of Rs 25,000 and insurance amount paid to deceased family members are also delayed due to cash crunch”, said Purushothaman, president, Chennai Managaratchi Anaithu Uzhiyar Sangham.

 Meanwhile the corporation had instructed all its revenue staff to intensify tax collection process. 

Besides putting up posters on building premises of tax defaulters, the corporation has also fanned out all its tax collectors across all the 200 wards. Chennai Corporation on Friday also urged property tax payers to pay their first half yearly tax.

“All the property tax defaulters are requested to pay the property tax immediately and avoid action under Schedule IV, Part VI, Section 138, Rule 21(1) of Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act 1919”, a press release from the Ripon Buildings said.