Tribune News Service

Panchkula, July 1

A day after the General House of the Panchkula Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to act against telecom companies for non-payment of prescribed fee for installation of towers and laying telephone lines, Reliance Jio reportedly paid pending dues of Rs1.95 crore to the civic body for financial year 2019-20 and 2020-21.

According to MC officials, they had served notices upon telecom companies, including Jio, to clear the pending dues or face action.

Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal termed the development a result of his persistent efforts to improve the financial health of the Municipal Corporation.

“Other companies are expected to follow the suit as civic body officials are receiving inquiries from the firms on their pending dues,” Goyal said.

Goyal said he had directed senior officials to recover the outstanding dues from the telecom companies at the earliest and ordered the discontinuation of connection with immediate effect if any company fails to do so.

Around 290 towers have been installed by various telecom companies in the city.

In the General House meeting held yesterday, Haryana Speaker and local MLA Gian Chand Gupta had ordered the registration of FIR against telecom companies laying underground lines without prior permission.

The Municipal Corporation also took a tough stand against property tax defaulters.

According to officials, the civic body expects property tax collection of Rs25 crore to Rs30 crore every year, but it only receives Rs11 crore to -Rs12 crore.

The property of those who owe over Rs1 lakh as tax will be sealed after serving a notice on them.

The civic body has also constituted a panel for revaluation of property tax owned by Shalimar Mall – the biggest tax defaulter.