8 panchayat men pay for tax evasion

AMRAVATI: In what is being claimed to be the first of its kind incident in Amravati's history, eight panchayat members have lost their membership for evasion of house tax. Five members—Dayaram Dhimarekar, Sohanlal Tatu, Rajkumar Kasdekar, Ramgopal Bhilawekar and Maltibai Munna—of Chakarda gram panchayat in Dharni tehsil were found guilty of not paying house tax ranging between Rs 200-300, sources said.
Sheela Dabhade, a member of Hantoda gram panchayat in Anjangaon Surji tehsil, had Rs 131 as unpaid house tax and had also received a notice to this effect from the gram panchayat. Ramdas Amrit Gode from Hantoda had complained against Dabhade in the office of additional district collector Hemant Pawar. Accordingly, Pawar directed that Dabhade should resign as a panchayat member.
In a similar instance reported from Achalpur tehsil, deputy sarpanch of Wasani panchayat Pramod Kale and member Deepchand Wakekar, lost their panchayat membership for failing to pay Rs 130 and Rs 256 as house tax respectively.
The members argued that the dues were too meagre to be stripped of their membership. But Pawar said the amount was not the issue, rather it was a case of flouting norms.
"If the panchayat members do not follow rules then how can we expect the common man to adhere to rules?" asked Pawar.