NMC still ignoring big water defaulters, alleges RTI activist; No respite to drying exchequer

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Nagpur News.

The fast drying NMC exchequer owing to the income deficit caused by Local Body Tax had indicated some respite in the form of gigantic water bills pending upon major defaulters here. However, the civic authorities are still far from recovering the deficit. Sanjay Agrawal of People Against Corruption has alleged that NMC administration has been deliberately sparing the big evaders of water taxes in the town. Agrawal alleged that in the year 2013 there were 2,07,924 water connections in the city of which 1,84, 577 are domestic consumers.

In an RTI reply sought by Agrawal, NMC informed that a total of Rs 104,96,05,883 has been outstanding on 79,937 consumers, whereas the demand of Rs 82,44,93,548 has been issued in the year 2013-14. The old balance of Rs 104 crores is still pending and the new recovery is also facing severe shortfall, Agrawal said.

The NMC has now concentrated on revenue from other departments to cover up deficit in income caused due to Local Body Tax. A list of big defaulters who are not paying water tax is being prepared and strict action is being taken. Water connections to Empress City which has not paid water tax of Rs 16.50 crore has been snapped. Similarly, water supply to Vijayanand Housing Society in Dhantoli has also been cut due to non payment of Rs 33.37 lakh. A list of big defaulters in city has been prepared who have not paid water tax of Rs 1.50 crore.

Fifteen colonies of Vidarbha Housing Board have not paid Rs 1.57 crore water tax upto March 2014. The Shanto Nagar colony has not paid Rs 45.21 lakh water tax. The pending water tax of Manewada’s VHB colony is Rs 23.08 lakh. The pending water tax amounts of other colonies are Hasanbagh Road – Rs 15.80 lakh, Somwaripeth – Rs 15.53 lakh and Manewada Square – Rs 14.69 lakh. Remaining colonies have also not paid lakhs of rupees in form of water tax.

The Nagpur Municipal Corporation administration had time to time wrote to executive engineer of Vidarbha Housing Board, divisional engineer and chief engineer about non payment of water tax. However, water tax was not paid.

The civic administration has issued notices to 15 defaulters. Some of them paid tax. But there are still pending amounts like MSEB’s Kanhan sub-station – Rs 1.34 lakh, Satnami Nagar Bhaktisafar Cooperative Housing Society – Rs 3.59 lakh and Lakadganj’s Bhaktisagar Cooperative Housing Society – Rs 1.03 lakh.

Meanwhile, municipal commssioner Shyam Wardhane said that big defaulters can pay pending water tax in installments. The first installment should be minimum 25 per cent of pending amount. Recovery from big defaulters will be done upto April. The drive to snap water connection will begin afterwards.

Lists of  few defaulters :