Oct. 25: The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has hit back at the residents of Nabin Nagar for not paying property tax.

The move came after a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a resident of Anil Nagar, holding the callous approach of the government agencies responsible for waterlogging in the locality.

In a status report submitted to Gauhati High Court recently, the GMC said the residents of Anil Nagar and adjoining Tarun Nagar and Nabin Nagar owe the corporation more than Rs 45 lakh in property tax.

An official said a large number of house owners or residents of the three localities, which come under municipal ward 42, have not paid their taxes for several years.

According to the GMC, since a large number of residents have not cleared their pending taxes, the arrears have now gone up to more than Rs 45 lakh. The source said the GMC has submitted these facts before the court during the hearing of the PIL (number 101/2007) filed by senior advocate Arup Borbora on September 21.

Admitting the PIL, the court had issued notices to chief secretary P.C. Sharma, GMC, Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Kamrup (metro) district administration, water resources department and Assam Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board to furnish their replies in the form of affidavits.

“After perusing the status report submitted by the GMC, a division bench of Chief Justice Jasti Chelameswar and Justice Ashok Potsangbam said the citizens should pay property tax, as it is their social duty,” the source added.

The source said the GMC has included the amount due from the residents in the form of property tax in its status report. The corporation wanted to highlight the fact that the residents should pay their dues, which is a social obligation of all the citizens, before demanding benefits from the government.

“In the status report, the GMC has also mentioned the work it had undertaken in these three localities, like repairing of streetlights, desilting of drains and cleaning of bylanes. Moreover, the GMC has said further action will be taken to address the grievances of the residents,” the source said.

He said mere cleaning cannot solve waterlogging in these areas, which are low lying and situated along the Bharalu river. “Massive projects like construction of stormwater drains considering the gradient and other aspects have to be taken up in order to flush out excessive water,” he added.

Petitioner Arup Borbora said, “It is intriguing that when waterlogging has created a flood-like situation in many parts of the city, mainly in Anil Nagar and Nabin Nagar, government officials and civic authorities have preferred to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the tax payers.”

“As a tax payer and citizen of Anil Nagar, I have the right to know what long-term and short-term measures the government will take to give respite to the people,” Borbora said.