In a move to deter and shame tax evaders, the State Information Commission (SIC) has instructed the municipal corporation to make public the names of residents, who have more than Rs50,000 water bills pending against them.
On December 6, state information commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad instructed municipal chief Sitaram Kunte to publish the names of such consumers on BMC’s official website www.mcgm.gov.in.
The order was given under section 4(1) (B) of Right to Information Act, 2005 after public information officer (PIO) attached to BMC’s F-North ward (covering areas like Matunga, Sion) denied to share details sought by a Wadala resident, Jaiprakash Gupta.
The resident had on May 21 sought to know the names of those consumers from the ward who owe more than Rs50,000 water bills to the corporation. Since the PIO did not share the information, the first appellate official on July 20 asked the former to give details sought by Gupta within 15 days. However, Gupta was not provided with the information and he approached the commission.
According to civic officials, there are 687 consumers in the ward who have to collectively pay Rs20 crore for water. The commission ordered the civic body to make names of all the consumers public.
The commission wants the BMC to display names of tax evaders until January 30 next year.
Ramesh Bambale, hydraulic engineer, said the department is yet to receive a communication in this regard. “We have not received any letter or order copy from the commission as of now. But we will act based on whatever order is passed,” Bambale said.
According to another civic official, who requested anonymity, the department is yet to recover around Rs800 crore from defaulters, including the state government which has not cleared bills of Rs250 crore.
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