Even though the state government has told the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to stop collecting taxes, people who own property in 34 areas of Pune have paid about ₹449 crore in property taxes this year.
The PMC is still collecting these taxes because the state government hasn't officially told them to stop.
Many residents and activists are worried about this situation. They're especially concerned about a new plan where property owners would only pay double the old gram panchayat tax instead of the full municipal tax.
This plan was announced before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, but the necessary legal changes to make it happen are still not ready.
Activists are worried that this could cause problems for the PMC. They feel unsure about how tax collection should work and there are no new laws to support the promised lower taxes.
This makes it hard for the PMC to manage money while waiting for new rules.
People who own property in these areas are unhappy. They don't understand the tax rules well and think the state government is just trying to play politics with their money.
They feel stuck because they've to pay their taxes now, but they don't know if they'll get any money back later or if the rules will change.
The PMC's decision to keep collecting taxes shows how tricky it's to make changes without clear orders from the government.
