The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has started taking stringent action against its Revenue staff resorting to corruption and malpractices in property tax collection. Sending a strong message across, Commissioner R.V. Karnan has placed the services of two bill collectors under suspension pending enquiry, after receiving complaints against them.
In the first case which was reported more than a month ago, the property in question at Santhosh Nagar had remained reportedly unassessed for the past 45 years. It came into the tax radar after the GPS and drone surveys, after which as part of the ground truthing process, the bill collector visited the house.
Officials under the condition of anonymity informed that the official collected a sum of ₹1.45 lakh from the owner, by way of tax for three years along with penalty as per the provisions of GHMC Act, 1955. He, however, paid only one year’s tax, with the intention of retaining the remaining amount for himself.
However, things did not go his way, when the owner, upon not getting a receipt for tax paid nor any response despite multiple calls, raised a stink about the incident and complained to the commissioner. Mr. Karnan issued orders placing the bill collector concerned Emmanuel under suspension.
