MARGAO
The Congress and the BJP see red in the undue haste shown by the Cuncolim Municipal Council and the Chief Officer in going ahead with the re-assessment of house tax, even as fears are raised that the assessment will only push the house tax by manifold.
While Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias has slammed the civic body for initiating the house tax assessment, saying it will overburden the people with a steep house tax, ex-BJP MLA Rajan Naik wondered why the civic body is pursuing the reassessment when it would only end up in pushing the house tax further.
Clafacio Dias told The Goan that he has been flooded by queries from household owners on Council's move to hike the house tax. "A fear psychosis has gripped the citizens in the municipal area about the proposed hike in house tax. The councillors and the chief officer should understand that though Cuncolim is a civic body, it has all the characteristics of a village. People in the town own old houses, with or without slabs, and the proposed reassessment will certainly hike the house tax manifold," he said.
The Cuncolim MLA has promised to take up the issue with the Chief Officer next week with a plea to ensure that no steps are taken that would put the people to great hardships.
Meanwhile, Cuncolim Block Congress President and former Cuncolim Municipal Chairperson Landry Mascarenhas on Saturday came down heavily on the municipality for initiating the house tax assessment. "I have been a two-time councillor and a chairperson. We had never taken such a decision during our tenure since it would only push the house tax. Cuncolim is not like Margao, Vasco or Panjim. Though we have a council, Cuncolim is still like a village. We should not overburden the citizens with additional doses of house tax," Landry said. He pointed out that the Cuncolim Block Congress would submit a memorandum to the chief officer and the chairperson to desist from making
any move.
Meanwhile, Rajan Naik has denounced the move. "I have been a councillor and we used to take care that citizens are not overburdened with additional tax. I do not know what made the CMC to go in for the reassessment," he said, adding he would talk to the councilors on the proposal.
The Congress and the BJP see red in the undue haste shown by the Cuncolim Municipal Council and the Chief Officer in going ahead with the re-assessment of house tax, even as fears are raised that the assessment will only push the house tax by manifold.
While Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias has slammed the civic body for initiating the house tax assessment, saying it will overburden the people with a steep house tax, ex-BJP MLA Rajan Naik wondered why the civic body is pursuing the reassessment when it would only end up in pushing the house tax further.
Clafacio Dias told The Goan that he has been flooded by queries from household owners on Council's move to hike the house tax. "A fear psychosis has gripped the citizens in the municipal area about the proposed hike in house tax. The councillors and the chief officer should understand that though Cuncolim is a civic body, it has all the characteristics of a village. People in the town own old houses, with or without slabs, and the proposed reassessment will certainly hike the house tax manifold," he said.
The Cuncolim MLA has promised to take up the issue with the Chief Officer next week with a plea to ensure that no steps are taken that would put the people to great hardships.
Meanwhile, Cuncolim Block Congress President and former Cuncolim Municipal Chairperson Landry Mascarenhas on Saturday came down heavily on the municipality for initiating the house tax assessment. "I have been a two-time councillor and a chairperson. We had never taken such a decision during our tenure since it would only push the house tax. Cuncolim is not like Margao, Vasco or Panjim. Though we have a council, Cuncolim is still like a village. We should not overburden the citizens with additional doses of house tax," Landry said. He pointed out that the Cuncolim Block Congress would submit a memorandum to the chief officer and the chairperson to desist from making
any move.
Meanwhile, Rajan Naik has denounced the move. "I have been a councillor and we used to take care that citizens are not overburdened with additional tax. I do not know what made the CMC to go in for the reassessment," he said, adding he would talk to the councilors on the proposal.
