Mangalore: The Mangalore City Corporation council has constituted a six-member council committee to look into the allegations leveled against Mangalore One of not transferring the amount collected as property tax from citizens, to the MCC’s account.

Mangalore One is an integrated citizen service centre where citizens can pay various bills like property tax, water tax, electricity bills etc. The Committee will also look into the issue of illegal hoardings in the MCC limits.

The decision was taken in the MCC’s monthly council meeting on Monday. The Committee will comprise of Standing Committee for Accounts Chairman Purushothama Chithrapura, Deepak K Poojary, Navin R D’Souza, A C Vinayaraj, K Rajesh and Vijay Kumar Shetty. Mayor Mahabala Marla directed the Committee to study the misappropriations committed by Mangalore One, if any and also the complaints regarding illegal hoardings in the city and submit a report within 10 days.

BJP Corporator Vijay Kumar Shetty who raised the issue, alleged that there was a huge difference in the property tax amount collected by Mangalore One and the amount deposited to the MCC’s account.

According to the available information, the amount collected in four centres of Mangalore One from June 25, 2010 to September 25, 2014 is Rs 112.99 crore, whereas the amount deposited to MCC is Rs 109.20 crore only.

Though the figures show a difference of Rs 3.79 crore, the MCC officials have said that Rs one crore was deposited by Mangalore One, a few days ago. Even then, there is a difference of Rs 2.65 crore. Where has this money gone? he asked.

On illegal hoardings, he alleged that despite a ban on display of huge hoardings in the city limits, the guidelines has been violated and several illegal hoardings have come up in the city, specially on the road leading to the Mangalore International Airport. He demanded to remove the illegal hoardings at the earliest.

Replying to the issues raised, the Mayor said that Mangalore One was depositing the amount collected as bill payment in ING Vysya Bank. “I have proposed the Corporation Bank to introduce software using which the general public can pay bills through the banks,” he said.

He also promised of action against those who are responsible for the delayed transfer of the amount collected as property tax.

Corporator Kavitha Sanil alleged the delay in the process of issuing water bills to the consumers. Though the MCC has not issued bills to the citizens, boards have been displayed in several wards warning the citizens of disconnecting water connection if the bills are not paid on time.

Superintendent Engineer Kantharaj agreed that the agency from Bellary which was dealing with water bills, has failed in its duty.

There are nearly 80,000 water connections in the city limits of which bills have not been collected from 50,000 connections. A new agency will issue the bills in November including the pending ones, he said.