Open letter to BBMP Commissioner

Update: After sending this post to Sathish, on 16th July, 2017, he has transferred INR 3000/-. Still he owe us INR 2000/-. As mentioned in my post, if it is an official fee, we would need a receipt. If it’s a bribe, action must be taken. Since he has at least done his job by creating our application number, I would have paid him some money as token of appreciation, if he have not troubled us this way. Now he doesn’t deserve any token of appreciation.

The Commissioner,
Bengaluru Bruhat Mahapalika,
Bengaluru

Dear Sir,

Subject: My recent experience at BBMP Kaggadasapura.

We have been living in Kaggadasapura from October, 2009; have paid property tax in 2010. From 2011 onwards, each time we would want to pay Property tax online, we were asked to use 2009-09 application number to fetch details; which we did not have and when we have approached BBMP office in Kaggadasapura, never got a help required; they kept on saying come tomorrow, come after 2 days, server not working etc.,

Trust us till date we have not received a single notice from BBMP for non-receipt of Property tax. In many states, property owner will receive a notice for non-receipt of tax with methods to pay the tax.

Finally late May this year, we have met Mr. Sathish (Mobile number 9886661979) and here is what has happened:

He told us BBMP no longer has data of 2009 hence we would need to pay from the beginning; we have submitted our property related documents and he asked us to visit in a couple of days; mentioned tax for all these years would come about 90,000 INR. He would talk to the department and see if he could get us some discount.

A couple of weeks passed, no information has received from him. when I have visited him, he was very rude and said “nothing will work here without paying money” and told approximately it would cost 40,000 INR and 2000 INR would be his fee. We have instantly paid him 27000 INR in cash. He has told us we would get a text message in a couple of days. After 3 days, when I have called him, he was pretty rude and saying “why do we call him, don’t they need to work at head office etc.,” Firstly he has not received calls several times.

Two days later, I have visited office in Kaggadasapura and he was insisting me to use my debit card to make payment. When I refused and argued with high tone, he has made one transaction for amount of INR 8975 and told us server is down but given us the receipt that has application number. He wanted us to come next day.

Next day when we have asked him if he could return us the money if we could make remaining payment online.He has agreed and with a trust, we have made property tax payment in full.

Then whenever we call him, he never receives, odd responses to text messages, unavailable at his office. When he responds, he says “I’ll transfer tomorrow” or “I’ll transfer tonight”.

During one of my visits to BBMP office, when he was not available, I have made a call to 100 and inquired about nearest police station to report this incident; by seeing the same his colleague has requested me to allow a couple of days time. After a couple of days, when have sent Sathish a multiple text messages including one that states we would report at Byappanahalli police station, we have received INR 8000 and another INR 5000 after repeated messages for a couple of days. He still owe us INR 5000. No response to our calls and messages. If he claims this INR 5000 is an official fee, we would need a receipt and if it’s a bribe, an action must be taken. Only proof I have for my above claim is text messages exchanged between us.

We hope BBMP will look into this and improve tax paying system. I can be reached on 9900810881 or email me at srinivasu@srinivasu.org

I’m surprised that for a person like me who is a person with low vision, if BBMP employee has torcheres this way, I’m not sure how he is behaving with others in general.

I’m open for any in-person discussion too.

Best regards,
Srinivasu Chakravarthula
A resident of Kaggadasapura

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Commissioner of Police, Bangalore
Chief Minister of Karnataka
Office of the Prime Minister, Government of India
Chief Commissioner, Office of the Chief Commissioner, Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India

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