The civic body has decided to confiscate movable and immovable properties of citizens not paying property taxes even as final notices were issued to them. As part of its decision, the civic administration has in the last 12 days issued warrants to as many as 661 property tax defaulters across six divisions of the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).

"We started the drive from March 6 by issuing warrants to the defaulters in the Cidco division. Till date, we have issued warrants to 661 property tax defaulters. Moreover, warrants will be issued to 161 property tax defaulters in the next few days. Movable and immovable properties of citizens failing to pay the taxes within 21 days from the dates when the warrants were issued will be confiscated," an NMC official said.

"We had issued final notices to 47,259 property tax defaulters last month, giving them an ultimatum of five days to pay the property taxes. But as only 12,620 defaulters paid their respective dues, we decided to be tough with the defaulters and confiscate their properties. Warrants are being issued as part of the initiative," he told TOI.

Though only 12 days are left before the 2013-14 financial year ends, the civic administration could achieve only 63 per cent of the total property tax collection target set for the fiscal. Of its target to mop up Rs 105 crore as property tax, the NMC has collected Rs 66.12 crore by March 18. In the 2012-13 financial year, the NMC had collected Rs 63.14 crore as property tax."

Besides, the civic administration had set a water cess collection target of Rs 53.82 crore for the current fiscal year. Here too, the civic body failed to reach anywhere near the target. Till March 18, it has collected only Rs 29.85 crore. In the 2012-13 financial year, the NMC had collected water cess amounting to Rs 38.86 crore.

At present, there are 3.79 lakh properties and 1.74 lakh water connections across six divisions of the municipal corporation.