the goan I network
MARGAO
Cuncolim City Fathers and babus have come under the scanner of Cuncolkars as the civic body is bracing up to tax the 5,000-odd loyal taxpayers with additional tax burden by re-assessing their houses, while turning a blind eye to the hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal houses and rooms let out to migrant workers employed at the Cuncolim industrial estate.
Citizens are demanding that Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar and Chairperson Polita Carneiro lay bare before the people of Cuncolim the statistics in respect of the number of illegal structures and illegal rooms that have been brought under the tax net by the civic body since the new body has taken over the reigns around two years ago.
They are now planning to call on the councillors as well as the officials to keep the house reassessment on hold till the civic body brings under the tax net all the illegal rooms under the house tax net and also collect one month's rent from the owners. "Why are the loyal house tax payers harassed by the councillors and the civic babus. While the loyal house tax payers are forced to cough up the house tax and other fees, the illegal room owners have not only been left scotfree, but have been enjoying all the amenities in the town without payment of taxes," remarked a citizen.
Social activist Ronny Dias pointed out that the Cuncolim civic body has till date not made public the action plan to bring the hundreds of illegal rooms leased on rent to migrant workers in the town. Moreover, he demanded to know whether the civic body has till date assessed the community halls and other public utility projects put in place by the Municipality over the years. "People of Cuncolim should not allow the Municipal team to enter their residential areas to carry out the assessment. Let the Chief Officer, Municipal engineers first conduct a survey of the hundreds of illegal rooms and structures, bring them under the tax net and then carry out assessment of the house tax of loyal tax payers," Ronny said.
Apprehensions are being raised that the reassessment of houses may result in a steep hike in the house tax by manifold as the civic body had in one of the council meetings had deliberated on levying the house tax rates based on the sq mtr area. "Why should the sincere tax payers bear the brunt of additional fees of house tax when the Municipality has no action plan in place to tax the illegal rooms and structures," the activist demanded.
Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar was not available for comment, while Municipal engineer Dipak Desai was on leave and could not divulge details of the assessment of house tax.
Citizens are also planning to call on Salcete's lone Minister Vijai Sardesai to intervene in the matter since the councillors have blamed Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar for proposing the assessment of house tax.
