BANGALORE: The drum beating in front of Sigma Mall on Cunningham Road on December 28, with arrears in property tax put on display, was a new initiative by the BBMP to attract the attention of the defaulters who had not paid tax arrears for five long years.Sigma Mall property is registered under IDBI Project Private Ltd and the Khata holder of IDBI has not turned up since 2006, leaving the tax arrears and penalty to accumulate to Rs 5.5 crore. Deputy Commissioner (East Zone) Sathyabama said, “We have sent legal notices to the mall proprietors twice. Since then, years have passed, still payment of tax is pending.”The drum beating began at 11 am, right at the entrance of the mall, which shocked store managers, who were completely ignorant of the crisis. Saka, store manager of Levis showroom, said,“It is a shock for us. We had no idea about it.”Rizwan, store manager of Provoked showroom, said, “Business is already down, and this is an added misery to our plight. The authority has been telling us for three months that they will shut this mall. Now I am just waiting for them to send the closure notice.”Echoing the same sentiments, Kumar Ram Sarmas, store manager of Pantaloon, said, “Unlike others, I had no clue about it. I will just inform my superiors.”Assistant Revenue Officer Narsappa said, “Many business entities are there, and tax has been collected from 41 units, but a khata is still in the name of IDBI and has not been cleared. This has resulted in huge tax arrears. It has to be collected to augment the corporation fund. If they fail to comply with the norm, we will lock the units which have tax arrears. We will inform the Joint Commissioner and Health Officer to cancel their trade licence.”Mall Manager Mathi said, “It is not the IDBI which is responsible for the arrears, but it is individual owners who have their own tenants. We have sent many reminders to them to clear tax arrears, but they have failed to comply.”Now, the BBMP’s revenue collection department has received a letter promising tax clearance by December 31. However, Assistant Revenue Officer Narsappa said,“We will not give any more time. They said they would give Rs 30 lakh on December 29 evening, but it will not solve the problem. Again we will carry out drum beating by 8.30 am on December 29. I know the IDBI has sold some of its properties to a few individual owners, but why should I look for those owners, I am concerned with the IDBI only and will go after it.”Will the coming days see Sigma Mall closed or will the mall be able to overcome this issue, pay the arrears and help the cash-strapped BBMP is yet to be seen.
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