Pay tax or your property will be seized, J

Srinagar, Jan 31 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Excise department has issued a fresh notice to about 100 defaulters, including owners of cinema halls, hotels, bars and other businessmen, to pay balance entertainment, show and excise tax by Ferbuary 20.

If you fail to pay the tax balance since 1989-90 within the fixed date, your properties will be seized under relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Land Revenue Act, 1996, Deputy Excise Commissioner (Executive), Kashmir, warned the defaulters.

He said the defaulters are being given last chance through this notice under section 63,64 and 66 of J&K Land revenue Act, 1996 to pay the balance tax.

The deputy excise commissioner in the notice said that the defaulters had failed to deposit the tax despite repeated notices for making the payment.

Interestingly the defaulters included Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) and Tourist Reception Centre bar and restaurant who has to pay about three lakhs balance tax for the year 1989-90 to the excise department.

Regal cinema was the highest tax defaulter of Rs 35,058 followed by Neelam Rs 20,680 and lowest was Palladium Rs 1240 since 1989-90.

The cinema halls in the Kashmir valley were closed following threat by militants in early Nineties. However, in 1996 three cinema hall --Braodway, Neelam and Regal--reopened after they were provided financial assistance by the then National Conference (NC) government.

However, Broadway in the high security Batwara area and Regal in the civil lines were also closed. The Neelam cinema, a stones throw away from the Civil Secretariat, seat of the government in summer, was functioning. The Palladium cinema near historic Lal chowk was gutted in Nineties and CRPF has established a command post in that building.

There are bar and video hall and wine shop owners who are also defaulters, the notice issued today said. The bar, wine shop and video halls were closed in Nineties after threat from militants.

Majority defaulters are traders who have not paid excise tax to department and remained defaulters for the period 1989-90.

A trader from Batmaloo has to pay Rs 2,07,451, highest tax to department.

The hotel owners who are also listed as defaulters included hotel Broadway, Shahenshah, Gulmarg, Pamposh, Hill top,Bharat Hindu hotel, Oberio and Wood stock.

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