Pay rebate to those harvesting rainwater, says Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) chief

Pune: After receiving several complaints from citizens claiming that they are not getting a rebate even after implementing rainwater harvesting, Pune municipal commissioner Vikas Deshmukh has taken cognizance of these complaints. On Thursday he issued orders to concerned officials to prepare a report on the number of applications which are pending. 

Recently dna had carried out a campaign on rainwater harvesting and in the last seminar which was attended by Deshmukh, some participants had said that they were not getting rebates despite harvesting water. Deshmukh had assured them he would resolve the issue. 
On Thursday, he issued an order to the property tax department to take immediate action on the applications for rebate. Speaking to dna, Deshmukh said, “Today, I have given orders to the head of the property tax department to prepare a report on the number of applications received for the rebate following rainwater harvesting. I have also instructed that after the report is prepared, rebate to the applicants should be provided immediately.”
The PMC had announced a rebate on property tax if citizens harvested water in their localities, used solar energy or segregated solid waste. “If citizens are following any two of these three practices, they are entitled for 10 percent rebate and if they are practicing any one of these practices, they will get five percent rebate,” Deshmukh said. 
Over the last three years, the number of applicants getting rebate on property tax for following rainwater harvesting has increased. In the year 2010, PMC received only 44 applications but in 2013 the number increased to 452 applications. 
Though citizens have welcomed the commissioner’s decision, they are demanding more rebate on property tax. Ram Khante, chairman of Landmark Garden society said, “Our society practices rainwater harvesting and also recycles around 20,000 litres of waste water. But, we are not getting a rebate. The idea behind the rebate is good. But, for our efforts 5 per cent is too.”