Bhubaneswar, Feb. 25: The standing committee on finance and taxation of the municipal corporation has suggested the municipal council to snap power and water supply to holding tax defaulters.

The council, which will hold a meet on February 27, is likely to forward the suggestion to the state government so that it empowers the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to augment its revenue collection.

According to Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, the civic body has no power to implement any strict measure like snapping of power and water connections to residents failing to pay holding tax after repeated reminders.

Chairman of standing committee on finance and taxation Seikh Nizammudin said: "We have already sent a letter to the municipal council to request the state government to empower the civic body with the right to take on the defaulters."

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: "We have decided to put the name of some major defaulters on prominent hoardings across the city. We also want to take the help of drummers who will visit certain localities and beat drums in front of the houses of the defaulters."

As the civic body is yet to get the power and water supply under its ambit as per the 74th constitutional amendment, which is common in many other metros, permission of the state government is urgently needed in this matter, said Jena.

A senior corporation official, who did not want to be named, said: "Last week we held a meeting on the 74th constitutional amendment and how to bring the water and power supply under the control of the civic body. However, till things fall in line, the civic body needs permission from the state government to act against the tax defaulters."

Subhranshu Sekhar Mishra, deputy commissioner supervising the tax section, said: "We have prepared a list of 235 defaulters, which will be uploaded on the official website of the corporation. Part of the list will also be displayed on hoardings at prominent places across the city."

Officials of the tax section in the municipal corporation said 235 people had to pay Rs 4.46 crore holding tax to the civic body. While for this financial year, the target is Rs 30 crore, till date the corporation has been able to collect Rs 12 crore and hopes to achieve the target by the end of March.

When informed about the steps the civic body had decided to take against the defaulters, many of them are coming to the office to clear their dues. "Holding tax collection is in turn utilised for different projects. Therefore, residents must file it on time," said Ganesh Parida, a resident of Pokhariput.