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Pune's PMC seizes 200 properties and disconnects water connections for 17 properties for tax evasion

The tax department of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has undertaken resolute actions to address the issue of delinquent property taxes, seizing 200 properties from non-compliant owners who have neglected to settle their outstanding dues between April and December of the current fiscal year. Furthermore, in a stern response to persistent tax evasion, the civic body has terminated water connections for 17 residential and commercial properties during this specified period, despite prior notifications and warnings issued to the proprietors.

A senior official from the PCMC has emphasized that the accumulated tax liabilities for the majority of these properties are substantial. Accordingly, the delinquent property owners are slated to receive another notification, affording them an additional opportunity to discharge their financial obligations. Failure to comply within the stipulated time frame will result in the initiation of auction proceedings for the affected properties, marking a stringent measure aimed at enforcing fiscal responsibility.

Among the 33,241 property owners who received notices, a mere 7,080 have so far settled their pending property taxes, amounting to Rs 73.2 crore. In stark contrast, the aggregate outstanding tax liability stands at a staggering Rs 584.4 crore. A total of 26,161 property owners collectively owe the civic body a substantial sum of Rs 511.25 crore in property taxes. In the realm of non-compliance, Phugewadi takes precedence as the epicenter, with 38 properties, closely followed by Kiwale with 32 and Moshi with 29.

In a proactive move, the PCMC has forwarded details of 110 confiscated properties to the town planning department for a comprehensive evaluation process, signaling the commencement of the auctioning mechanism. This encompasses properties seized in the current fiscal year alongside those seized in previous years, underscoring the municipality's commitment to addressing the persistent issue of tax delinquency. Pradeep Jambhale Patil, the additional commissioner of PCMC, has revealed that collaborative efforts with legal experts are underway to facilitate the auction of a targeted 500 confiscated properties.

The engagement of legal expertise serves the dual purpose of streamlining the auction process and ensuring strict adherence to legal protocols, reinforcing the municipality's commitment to upholding procedural integrity. In essence, the PCMC's assertive measures underscore a concerted effort to motivate property owners to discharge their tax obligations promptly, thereby contributing substantively to the fiscal robustness of the civic body.

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