Nilesh Deshmukh, assistant commissioner, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) tax department, in his letter to the housing societies said they would refrain from snapping the water connection of the entire society, but the society authorities must cooperate and make sure action was taken against defaulters.
Deshmukh said that the housing society’s representatives must create awareness among the residents about possible actions if they are on the list of defaulters.
He said the civic body had recovered over Rs600 crore in property tax and the target for 2022-23 fiscal is around Rs1,000 crore. “We are working on the attachment action as well. So far, around 500 properties have faced attachment action and more than 31,000 notices have been served. The action will be made stricter in the coming days, including snapping of individual water connection,” assistant commissioner said.
Sanjeevan Sangle, president, Chikhali Moshi Cooperative Housing Society Federation, said that the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation cannot delegate their responsibilities to the society members and need to find better ways to recover tax.
Notably, two housing societies federations in Pimpri Chinchwad, through a legal notice, had warned of legal action against the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in response to its circular to housing societies regarding water disconnection. The legal notice, served on the PCMC by the Pimpri Chinchwad and Chikhli Moshi Housing Federations on January 20, said, “By attempting to hold the entire housing complex responsible, penalising the other regular property taxpayers for the defaults of only some, is completely against the principles of natural justice and is totally unilateral, arbitrary and illegal.”
It further added, “The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation must refrain from issuing such notices/circulars which are illegal and generate panic among the common people.”
