By : P D BHATIA : Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation has raised property tax without justification with addition of sewerage benificary tax and water beneficiary tax, being taxed for a service that is not yet available to us.The Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has begun collecting 8% sewerage benefit tax from residents from the current financial year. But the Rs 525.79 crore underground sewerage scheme is still in its initial stages and residents are yet to benefit from the project.
Till date, only 8% of the project undertaken under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) has seen the light of day. Residents, however, have started paying the tax, which was okayed by the general body of the MBMC on March 31, 2010. The project is being funded by the central and state governments along with the MBMC, Our NGO, Siddhivinayak Marg Nivasi Seva Sansthan, has sent a notice to the state urban development department (UDD) to prevent the MBMC from collecting a tax, the benefit of which has still not reached the public.
“About 92% of the sewerage work in Mira-Bhayander is incomplete. It is illegal to collect tax for a facility that is not delivered, Under the project, MBMC plans to provide underground sewerage facilities in the 24 sq-km area of the region. A total of 107 km of sewer lines will be laid and will include 10 pumping stations and 10 sewerage treatment plants with capacities ranging from 7 mld to 17 mld.No underground sewerage work has commenced at Bhayander (W).
We the Office Bearers of Siddhivinayak Marg Nivasi Seva Sasnthan here by appoint Mr.Ganesh Sovani as the Advocate for Siddhivinayak Marg Nivasi Seva Sansthan, who will approach the Bombay high court on behalf of the Sansthan to withdraw the tax for which we will be paying him a fee of Rs.5000.00,The proceedings will be filed on belhalf of the Sansthan under the Jt.Secretary’s name Mr.Jayant Gokhale(Prasad Gokhale).
All the members of our Sansthan have decided to take this legal approach as the Commissioner of Mira-Bhayander states: That as there is no octroi in the city the MBMC does not have a Source of Income ,So they have raised the property tax.
When even after knowing that it’s not justified to charge for a Service which is not yet received by the Citizens of Mira-Bhayander the Commissioner has taken this stand, We as an NGO have taken this step of filing Legal Proceedings against the MBMC .
The meeting was presided by the President of the Sansthan Pradeep Bhatia, along with the other Board Members present i.e.
1. Secretary : Mr.O.P.Singh
2. Vice President : Mr.Gajendra Rakavi
3. Committee Member : Mr.Manish Dave
4. Committee Member : Mr.Shrinivas Kotian
5. Treasurer : Mr.Kamlesh Patel