MCD holds hearing on house tax complaints

The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) conducted its first hearing session for the house tax complaints registered by the people on Wednesday. A majority asked the officials to reduce the amount of the house tax and they also said that services given by the MCD are very poor which did not give them any right to raise the house tax. They also alleged that the house tax has been revised improperly. 

Around seven wards in the first shift and six in the second shift were called at the MCD for the hearing session. Twenty complaints were filed in the first session and eight in the second round.   

Residents representing various wards said that raising house tax by 40 per cent was not right.  Besides,  if  the people are made to pay the increased tax MCD should ensure that good facilities are provided to the people living in all the wards like the door to door garbage collection, drainage cleaning system, sanitation services  and the like.

Saroj Panwar, a resident of Arya Nagar, said, “The roads remain riddled with potholes. The drains remain clogged especially during the monsoon season. We have filed written as well as online complaints, but nothing has been done so far.”

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress activists submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner regarding the same on Wednesday.

They demanded that MCD should take back the increase in the house tax and should also update the facilities and complete the pending work.

The former councillors present in the MCD during the hearing also expressed dissatisfaction over the hike in house tax.  They stated that with the board not in existence right now following the completion of its term, the civic body has no   right to arbitrarily raise  the house tax.  They further said that the municipal commissioner should have included six former councillors in the team formed for the hearing.  They dubbed the hearing as inconsequential formality. After the hearing was over, the additional municipal commissioner Neeraj Joshi said, “People who attended the hearing said that the hike proposed in the house tax should be withdrawn.

They also complained about the unsatisfactory services they are provided with. We have noted down their complaints. We would consider them.”