The Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has decided to seal the properties of defaulters if they do not clear the property tax arrears before March 5.
The board has already issued notices to over 250 people, most of whom are owners of hotels, garment shops among others, a PCB official said.
Amit Kumar, PCB’s CEO, said, “We have already given them adequate time to respond. If they don’t make the full payment before March 5, we are going to seal their properties under the Cantonment Act, 2006. It will remain sealed till we get the dues.”
The PCB is supposed to get Rs38 crore from 12,200 properties. It has recovered only Rs18 crore, so far, an official said. We are left with limited revenue sources and property tax is one of them,” Kumar said, adding that some of the owners have paid part of the taxes., but they anticipate 100% recovery from them.
Traders and businessmen said the legal tussle between old tenants and owners is one of the reasons for tax pendency. “Arrears of some establishments are in a few crores and they are not in a position to pay because of lack of business in the last year due the pandemic. So, they have resorted to partial payment,” a trader said.