Tax collection from ‘unauthorised building’ owners puts KMC in tight spot

Kolkata: Following the collapse of the under construction building in Garden Reach killing 11 persons so far, pressure continues to build on Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) as it has reportedly come to light that the civic body collects taxes from owners of some of the unauthorised properties in that area.

The collapse of the under-construction building appears to have opened a Pandora’s box as several lapses are coming to light and the absence of which may have prevented the tragedy in the Garden Reach area. KMC Mayor Firhad Hakim has now instructed the borough officials of the Building department to carry out regular surveys to identify illegal constructions and report to the civic body. Orders have also been given to ensure notices are served to the owners of these buildings and if needed police complaints be lodged.

However, reports have surfaced that from many of these unauthorised buildings, the civic body has been collecting taxes. At least two more unauthorised buildings in Garden Reach Azar Molla area where the tragedy took place, continue to stand erect while the owners allegedly pay taxes to the civic body. They even produced copies of the bills. In a bid to calculate property taxes, mutation is done and on the basis of which an assessee number is generated.

Sources said that with the civic body collecting taxes from the owners of such illegal properties, it legitimises these properties since the owner questions how their property is illegal if the civic body is collecting taxes from them. It was learnt that the civic body mainly collects the taxes since the residents of these properties avail water and drainage facilities. According to KMC sources if such taxes are not collected then the civic body will be at a loss.

The civic body is now learnt to have taken a decision that it would not provide water or drainage connections to the promoters of unauthorised constructions. It has now been decided that the list of under construction buildings will be shared with the boroughs so that they know which buildings have been issued building permits and completion certificates and are thus getting water and drainage connections. This will indicate that such properties are being built after procuring a sanction from the

civic body.

Meanwhile, the civic body’s engineers’ body has demanded that the Mayor withdraw his “insulting” statements against an engineer on Thursday who was physically handicapped. The Mayor reportedly told the engineer concerned that he is either incompetent or a thief and is responsible for the deaths in the Garden

Reach tragedy.