24042025-CT-01.qxd 4/24/2025 12:32 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune ~32L PLAN TO GIVE DADU MAJRA DUMP GREEN LOOK BJP PROTESTS PAHALGAM TERRORIST ATTACK PRIYANKA SETIA MAKES A MARK IN WEB SERIES KHAUF Finance and Contract Committee approves a proposal to plant trees and shrubs at the dump. P3 Led by Jatinder Pal Malhotra, city unit president, party workers raised slogans against Pakistan. P3 She says patriarchy and violence against women are the leitmotif in her latest web series Khauf. P4 » » MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 39°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 38.8°C | MIN 24.4°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.55 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.47 AM » THURSDAY | 24 APRIL 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE UT notifies partial rollback in property tax hike Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29, 56 and Dhanas Panchkula: Sector 15 Mohali: Sector 71 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com POWER SHUTDOWN CHANDIGARH 9 am to 11am: Parts of Sectors 18 & 19 Man walks free in hit-&-run case filed by cop Chandigarh, April 23 A hit-and-run case registered on a complaint filed by a UT traffic police cop five years ago has turned out to be false. Head Constable Shashi Bhushan had alleged that a Punjab native dragged him on the bonnet of his car for 1 km. The court acquitted Ajay Kumar of Ludhiana, while CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Chandigarh, April 23 Facing criticism from all political parties and various associations, the UT Administration today partially rolled back the property tax hike. In the notification issued on March 31, the Administration had increased the property tax on residential property to three times the previous rate. The tax on the commercial and industrial property tax was increased to 6% of the annual rateable value (ARV) — double the earlier rate. Budging under public pressure, the Administration has reduced the property tax on the residential property from three times to two times and that on the commercial, industrial & institutional lands and buildings from 6 per cent of the ARV to 5 per cent. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had held long discussions with all top leaders of the BJP Mayor, councillors , and former mayors over the tax hike in the past few days. The three-fold hike in the property tax on residential properties was strongly opposed by traders, residents welfare associations and Down from 3-fold to 2-fold on residential buildings, 6% to 5% on commercial units industrialists. The BJP councillors even threatened to resign over the issue. The agenda for tax hike was previously rejected in the Municipal Corporation’s General House meeting on February 17 amid protests by the elected councillors. Meanwhile, the Administration claimed that the step had been taken in the larger public interest. MP TEWARI SEEKS COMPLETE ROLLBACK Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari said, “Property tax was levied without any structured consultation with public representatives or the people of Chandigarh acting through their respective Residents Welfare Associations. The tax proposals were never placed before or deliberated by the House Tax Committee or the General House of the Municipal Corporation. The Chandigarh Administration imposed the house tax suo motu and has now reduced it suo motu.” “The fundamental issue is what are the principles or the formula by which funds are devolved by the Chandigarh Administration to the Municipal Corporation. It cannot be a case and should not be the practice that you show me the person and I show you the rule. The Congress demands the complete roll back of the property tax levied and that 30% of the funds received by the Chandigarh Administration vide the Union budget must automatically pass on to the MC without any let or hindrance as is the norm laid down by various Finance Commissions. We will consult with our India Alliance partners to decide the future course of action,” he said. BJP EFFORTS HAVE BORNE FRUIT: MAYOR Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla said, “We thanked the Administration for having heard the voice of the people. This significant move has been made possible due to the continuous and dedicated efforts of the BJP The party . leaders persistently raised the issue of steep property CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 c m y b The demolition drive underway at Sanjay Colony in Industrial Area, Phase I, on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY Sanjay Colony makes history, Admn frees 6 acres of govt land worth ~250 cr Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 23 The UT Administration today demolished 1,000 jhuggis in Sanjay Colony, Industrial Area, Phase I, and reclaimed 6 acres of government land worth Rs 250 crore. Eight earth-moving machines of the Estate Office took nearly four hours to raze the slum. Now, this land will be handed over to the Engineering Department and a plan will soon be devised for its develop- JANTA COLONY DEMOLITION LIKELY NEXT WEEK The UT Administration has planned to demolish Janta Colony, Sector 25, on Friday next week. The colony spans over 10 acres of government land worth about Rs 350 crore. It has been earmarked for a dispensary, primary school, community centre and a shopping area. ment, said a senior officer. The Administration had tried to remove the colony two years ago, but the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the demolition. After the stay was vacated recently, the Administration gave a week’s notice to the resi- dents to vacate the land. At 6 am, the Estate Office teams, accompanied by heavy police force, reached the spot and started the drive around 7am. It continued till 11 am. Most of the residents had removed their belongings before the drive started. Many dwellers claimed that they had documents, but were not considered eligible under the rehabilitation scheme. They had been living in the colony for the past nearly 10-15 years. Many dwellers kept their belongings on the roadside. They said they had nowhere to go and the Administration should accommodate them somewhere in the city, at least under a rental scheme. They would be forced to live on CONTINUED ON PAGE 2