Pune : PMC Under Fire: Wagholi Residents Take Legal Action Over Alleged Corruption and Poor Services

Team Wagholi Against Corruption Organization (WACO) has filed a Civil Court case in Pune’s District & Sessions Court against the Pune Municipal Corporation for not providing basic facilities & incurring Property Tax.

As per further information from Anil Kumar Mishra, Founder, Team WACO, “Wagholi village was merged into the PMC in July 2021. Since then, even after 2 years, no significant development happened on ground up till now especially with regards to proper Roads, Water Supply, Drainage system and Garbage management in Wagholi.”

“Life of residents like me are in danger every moment traveling on any road including without-proper- service road Nagar Road Highway also. Situation of the majority of the internal and connecting roads are pathetic, they are fully riddled with potholes, and waterlogging is a perennial problem that commuters face on these roads,” he added. 

“I am not getting a single drop of water from PMC as on date and hence I have to spend thousands of rupees every year to buy water from private water tanker suppliers,” Mishra further said. 

Residents like me pay private agencies to remove garbage as garbage disposal services, which are supposed to be provided by PMC, are non-existent. The problem is compounded by the shocking level of open dumping and garbage burning in various public places including besides the roads also in Wagholi, he informed. 

“There is no proper drainage system in Wagholi, which leads to regular sewage overflow and the roads turning into streams at the first signs of rain.”

“While surviving with near-to-nothing basic services, I am being sent Property Tax demand notice of thousands of Rupees by the PMC which is completely illogical and irrational. If there is no service (especially like no Water supply, no proper/developed Roads, no Drainage system whatsoever and no proper Garbage management) from PMC, then why such Tax components (like Water Tax, so high Road Tax, Sewage Tax, Cleaning Tax) are included in the Property Tax demand notice?”

“If me and my family members (including Senior Citizens, Children and Ladies) are not safe and prone to have accidents while traveling on the broken/underdeveloped roads, waterlogged roads overflowing from sewage from open drains, or oftentimes non-existent roads, why should PMC demand so high Road Tax?”

“Why is the PMC issuing Property Tax bills with retrospective effect? Like the bill for Financial Year (FY): 2022-23 along with the bill for Financial Year (FY): 2023-24?”

“Why should I pay any property tax components without any commensurate service being provided by PMC against the tax being collected?”

“So, in view of the above-mentioned reasons, such Property Tax components should be waived off for me until the above-mentioned services are provided and ensured.”

Reliefs sought for are:

(1) PMC should publish their development plans with regards to providing these services in Wagholi, if any such plans actually exist, for the upcoming years.

(2) PMC should provide Water and other above-mentioned services as soon as possible and confirm on the timelines.

(3) Removal of the Tax components like i) Water Tax ii) Sewerage Tax iii) Cleaning Tax and iv) Road Tax from the Property Tax demand notice (bill) for Financial Year 2023-24 given no (or near to nothing) such services are being provided to me by PMC.

(4) After removing these illegal and illogical Tax components from the bill, PMC should send out / share the corrected Property Tax bill to me in Wagholi within time so that I can payout that corrected Tax amount as I am ready to pay other Tax components in the Property tax demand notice (bill) of Financial Year 2023-24. These illegal and illogical components in the Property tax bill might not be considered a very significant amount, but I humbly request you to please provide me justice against this injustice and appropriateness by PMC. Kindly note that the justice in this case will benefit thousands of other flat/property owners also like me in Wagholi.

(5) PMC should not collect any retrospective Property Tax. Hence, PMC should not send out any Property tax demand notice (bill) like for Financial Year: 2022-23 in this/current Financial Year 2023-24.

Shreyas Vange