CHENNAI: Cutting across party lines, Ward Councillors urged the Mayor and Corporation Commissioner to implement property tax on those who got patta for poromboke land.

D Vishwanatha, chairman of the standing committee (education), said, “When patta is issued for poromboke land, why can’t the government impose a penalty for the occupants? A resolution should be passed that, except land near waterbodies, others must pay property tax.”

In response, Mayor Priya assured the council to propose it to the State government. Additionally, chairman of standing committee (town planning) D Elango (alias) D Elaya Aruna, urged the revenue department to collect pending property tax from big organisations and impose penalties, and impose commercial tax for owners of guest houses in the city, who are just paying property taxes.

The council also adopted a resolution favouring the clearance of the travel expenditure of Rs 8.68 lakh incurred for Mayor Priya for her trip to the US in July. She had attended the 37th Tamil Sangam conference from July 4-6.

Balasubramanian, president of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America, had emailed the festival invite to Mayor Priya, and requested that the air travel expenses be covered from the Chennai Metropolitan Corporation’s funds, with an advance of Rs 5 lakh allocated for this purpose. The proposal was sent to the government for approval under TN Urban Local Bodies Act, Rule 46 B.