Palike to seek BESCOMs help for tax collection

BANGALORE: Property tax defaulters will be brought under the tax net with the support of BESCOM.The BBMP will collect data available with BESCOM, based on electricity meter connections.According to Yediyur Councillor N R Ramesh there are more than 22,000 apartment buildings in Bangalore with more than 7.5 lakh flats.He said that these apartments have been built in an area of 78 lakh sq feet and that can earn BBMP an additional Rs 1,200 crore per annum.At present, BBMP is getting Rs 110 crore from these apartments.Further, Ramesh blamed BBMP officials for not conducting proper surveys on apartments.“If officials had conducted a proper survey and found these irregularities, we could have slapped violation charges of at least Rs 500 crore,” he said.Referring to Mumbai Corporation that has filed 781 cases against leading builders for illegal structures, he said it is unfortunate that BBMP does not have a single case against illegal structures.Replying to his query, BBMP Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda said that many of these apartments and flats may be out of the tax net. But they have electricity connections.“We will procure the details of electricity connections and will issue notices to tax defaulters,” he said.Gowda also said that a committee, headed by the BBMP additional commissioner Manoj Kumar Meena, will be made in-charge.The committee will interact with BESCOM managing Director P Manivannan to get the data and crack whip on tax evaders.