New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has sealed a Mayapuri banquet hall over non-payment of property tax as part of its drive against big commercial properties which have raked up huge outstanding dues, civic officials said on Tuesday.

"All such commercial properties where outstanding dues of property tax have not been cleared since the last few years will be sealed. We have sealed a banquet hall located in Mayapuri industrial area yesterday (Monday). This exercise will continue in months to come," an SDMC official said.

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The banquet hall had not paid property tax amounting to nearly Rs 39 lakh.

Civic authorities said the SDMC's Property Tax Department has been taking stern action against properties whose outstanding dues have not been paid for a long time.

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"Such actions will be taken in all four zones of the civic agency. We appeal to all taxpayers to make payment of their property tax on time and avoid such actions," the SDMC official said.

He added that punitive action such as sealing of property or imposition of fines will be taken against defaulters to ensure that the civic body gets its dues.

"The financial condition of the civic body is not good so we have to look for every possible way to get revenue. We have to take stern actions so that pending properly taxes are cleared," the official said.

In October this year, the civic body sealed 35 guest houses and eateries in its jurisdiction for flouting norms.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)