Tax dues: 9 properties sealed in Rohtak

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, November 24

Adopting a tough stance against tax defaulters, the Municipal Corporation Rohtak on Tuesday launched a campaign to seal those buildings which failed to deposit property tax despite repeated requests.

The authorities sealed nine buildings, including a hotel, a banquet hall and a factory, in the presence of the police and also recovered a total Rs 25 lakh from owners of

six other such buildings, who deposited the tax on the spot to evade action.

Interestingly, a hotelier, son of a former minister, was also among the six persons, against whom property tax of over Rs 4 lakh was due.

Sources said a factory in Kheri Sadh and Jind Road, a banquet hall on the road leading to Delhi bypass from Shiela bypass, four shops at Kamla Nagar, a building in Tilak Nagar and a complex near Bhiwani Chungi area were sealed by a team of the municipal corporation led by Jagdish Chandra, Zonal Taxation Officer (ZTO).

“An amount of Rs 6.74 lakh was recovered on the spot from Shubham Garden, Rs 4.45 lakh from a factory on the Hisar road, Rs 4.16 lakh from Crystal Continental Hotel,

Rs 2.75 lakh from Krishana Banquet Hall and Rs 2 lakh from a hotel in Bharat Colony,” said the ZTO, adding that the campaign would continue in coming days.

The ZTO said 500 building owners were served sealing notices for not paying property tax despite repeated requests. They were asked to deposit the tax before November 24 but around 50 owners cleared the dues while remaining 450 didn’t pay any heed to the notices forcing the civic body to carry out the sealing operation, he added.

MC Commissioner Pradeep Godara said a total Rs 20-crore property tax was due on these building owners. “It is the first phase of the sealing operation under which only those buildings are included against whom the tax of more than Rs 1 lakh is due. In the second phase, those buildings will be sealed against whom the pending tax is between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh,” he said.