The municipal authorities of Baleswar have braced up for recovery of pending holding taxes from the defaulters.
They have appealed to all the defaulters to pay the amount to avoid actions, including legal options , said the municipality Executive Officer Pranaya Kumar Jena, adding that certificate cases would be initiated against the big defaulters.
“We have identified about 1,000 big defaulters, including residential houses and commercial establishments. About Rs 1.5 crore is pending. The target date to pay is March 20. After the mentioned period other actions including snapping water and electricity connections. Further, arrest, certificate case and property attachments would follow if required,” said Jena, adding, “About Rs 1.4 crore is already collected and it is expected to collect at least Rs 60 lakh by the target date. We have identified the defaulters ward and zone wise whose amount pending is more than Rs 10,000 each. The list is sent to each ward directing them to pay by March 20.”
The names of big defaulters would be published in mass media, the administration informed.
Jena further informed that in order to contain the menace of the Coronavirus, all schools, colleges, educational institutions , swimming polls have been closed. The municipality has stopped giving permissions for the assembly halls including Gandhi Smruti Bhawan and Town hall etc.
Those who have booked wedding halls in advance have been advised not to have much congregation.
“Since Chaitra month began , ideally ,there won’t be any marriages for at least one month . Mostly , today there would be few receptions. We have been creating awareness. And we are asking the establishments to close where they are opened. However , for shopping malls, there is no instruction so far,” said Jena.