Harijan Ashram in list of defaulters

It seems Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is getting ready to crack whip on top property tax defaulters. Incensed with defaulters' non-responsive approach, the AMC has prepared a list of 13 top defaulters whose pending property tax amounts to Rs3.81 crore. Ironically, Friday was the 80th anniversary of Dandi March when the civic body listed Mahatma's Harijan Ashram as the fourth defaulter with property tax due of Rs10 lakh!

In the AMC's list the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Hutheesing Mill tops the list with Rs60 lakh and Rs80 lakh, respectively, pending bills for property tax followed by Bhagwat Vidyapith — with Rs40 lakh.

The AMC officials who have been experimenting with all kinds of efforts to increase its tax collection has now decided to announce names of top defaulters. "We have decided to give advertisement to announce top defaulters. We believe going public might create embarrassing situation for them and they may pay their pending tax," claimed Mayur Dave, chairman of revenue committee.

Dave said, on Friday, the AMC sealed around 125 properties across the city and collected Rs1.12 cr as property tax.