Dehradun: Garhi Cantt Cantonment Board is not getting the outstanding building tax from many government buildings, including Raj Bhawan and Chief Minister’s residence. The board also corresponded with the concerned departments several times but nothing happened. In such a situation, there is a problem in paying salaries and allowances to the staff and pensioners.
Development work is getting affected due to lack of budget. Elections have not been held for two years. There are many major government buildings in Garhi Gantt Cantonment area including Chief Minister’s residence, Raj Bhawan, Bijapur Guest House, FRI, White House. The Cantonment Board earns lakhs of rupees annually as tax on all these. Some of these buildings had paid their tax some time back, but the tax on the Chief Minister’s residence has not been paid since 2009.
Rs 10 lakh still due on Raj Bhawan
Now tax of more than 85 lakh is due on the Chief Minister’s residence. There was a tax of about 23 lakh rupees on Raj Bhawan, out of which 13 lakh rupees have been deposited but about 10 lakh rupees are still due. More than 20 lakh rupees are due on Bijapur Guest House. It is said that since the Bijapur Guest House was built, only five lakh rupees were deposited once.
The worst condition is of FRI. About several crore rupees were due on FRI, when the Cantt Board corresponded repeatedly, it was told that FRI has been divided into three parts. Half of the area belongs to FRI, while the remaining half is the area of Center Academy State Forest and Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy. After which a bill has been sent to FRI for recovery of 2.63 crores and to the other two institutions for two crores.
Hospital and mill also owe lakhs of rupees
There is a joint hospital in Premnagar. It is under the Health Department. This hospital owes about 58 lakh rupees to Garhi Cantt Cantonment Board. Many times a letter was written by the Cantonment Board to CMO Dehradun in this regard, but till date the outstanding tax has not been deposited. There is a water mill of the Irrigation Department in Garhi Cantt area. Tax of about two lakh rupees is also due on this.
Garhi Cantt Cantonment Board has crores of rupees due on government offices. Correspondence is done with the concerned departments from time to time. Despite this, many have not paid till now.
–Harendra Singh, CEO, Garhi Cantt Board
