y k y cm WINNING HEARTS QUAD SUMMIT GREAT FEAT Odia actor Varsha Priyadarshini, keeping her The Quad leaders pledged to be committed to Mithali Raj became the first batswomen in promise, has helped a visually challenged an open, free, secure and prosperous the world to score 7,000 ODI runs during the game against SA singer record his maiden song LEISURE | P2 Indo-Pacific INTERNATIONAL | P10 SPORTS | P12 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 342 | www.orissapost.com BHUBANESWAR | MONDAY, MARCH 15 | 2021 12 PAGES | `4.00 BMC threatens citizens BHUBANESWAR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION PASSED AN ORDER THREATENING TO SEAL PROPERTIES OF DEFAULTERS POST NEWS NETWORK tificate cases have already been ini- burdening on the common man, but HOLDING TAX ROW tiated,” the letter said. also extortive in nature,” said Sukanti Bhubaneswar, March 14: Even as It may be recalled that the BMC had Chand, a resident of Bomikhal here. the citizens of the capital city are Earlier, the BMC had earlier revised benchmark value of When asked about the BMC’s plan revised benchmark yet to come to terms with the un- land cost of different areas in the to seal the residential properties of value of land cost of Naveen warns of precedented rise in holding tax rates, different areas in the city. This had resulted in about 20 to the defaulters, DC Srimanta Mishra the Bhubaneswar Municipal city. This had 50 times increase in holding taxes told the Orissa POST that the order Corporation (BMC) passed an order resulted in about 20 for the residents. The change in the has been passed only against com- March 12 threatening to seal the prop- to 50 times increase tax rates amidst the COVID-19 pan- mercial and industrial establish- lockdown situation erties of defaulters against whom in holding taxes for demic came under heavy criticism ments. “The OPDR Act is not against certificate cases have been initiated. the residents from all quarters, including the res- individual households. The order is POST NEWS NETWORK In a letter to all Zonal Deputy idents. In fact, the Opposition parties only against big and old defaulters. Commissioners (ZDCs) of the City, Deputy Commissioner in the state had demanded an im- No notice has been given to seal in- Bhubaneswar, March 14: (Revenue) has directed BMC Deputy Commissioner (DC), mediate roll back of the new holding dividual households. Furthermore, a Chief Minister Naveen all Zonal Deputy Revenue, directed them to lodge cer- Commissioners to lodge tax rates. case under OPDR Act takes about a Patnaik Sunday set a tar- tificate cases against all defaulters certificate cases against “The BMC wants us to pay heavy year to be settled before the orders for get of “zero infection” even under the provisions in the Orissa defaulters as per taxes despite COVID-19 taking a heavy final sealing of properties are is- as the COVID-19 tally in the Public Demands Recovery (OPDR) the Orissa Public toll on our incomes and revenues. I sued,” Mishra said. state mounted to 3,38,192 Act, 1962. The DC further instructed Demands Recovery was earlier paying `700 as holding tax Meanwhile, sources said the civic with 71 fresh cases. that ward supervisors may be asked (OPDR) Act, 1962 and now I am asked to pay `17,000 body has sustained a huge revenue loss In a video message, to file requisition before the ZDCs monthly. Moreover, the civic authority due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Patnaik appealed to people accordingly. paid the holding tax. Thus, it is re- initiated against all such defaulters. has now ordered the sealing of our now it hopes to compensate for the loss to follow health safety pro- “It is to say that there are large quested that certificate cases under Steps to be taken to seal the buildings properties for failing to pay the ex- by collecting hiked holding tax from tocols so that the state can NORMALCY HAS numbers of defaulters who have not OPDR Act, 1962, may be immediately of the defaulters against whom cer- orbitant taxes. This is not only over- all residents. achieve the goal and re- RETURNED TO ODISHA. quested them not to be com- NONE OF US WANTS placent with the daily num- LOCKDOWN TO ber of new coronavirus RETURN IRREGULAR by MANJUL Experiment with cases remaining below 100. SAVE BARABATI “With your support, the NAVEEN PATNAIK | COVID-19 situation is cur- ODISHA CHIEF MINISTER cryptocurrencies rently under control in Odisha. The World Health to continue: FM Organization (WHO) has praised our initiatives to ongoing vaccination pro- AGENCIES fight against the coronavirus gramme. pandemic. Although the sin- “We have lost many lives New Delhi, March 14: India will gle-day spike in coronavirus in the battle against the not “shut off all cryptocurrency” cases is below 100, zero in- COVID-19 pandemic. We will and allow “experiments” with the fection is our target,” he said. never let their sacrifice go technology behind the alterna- The COVID-19 situation in in vain... All of us should be tive form of payment, said Finance Maharashtra, Punjab, self-conscious,” he said. Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Chhattisgarh and Madhya The CM also said he has Sunday, adding the country’s cen- Pradesh has worsened due to already asked the civil ad- He is unhappy because he’s got tral bank would decide finally. a significant rise in the num- ministration and police to a ticket to contest an MLA seat. See, he is already an MP now! Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryp- ber of new cases, he said. ensure strict implementa- tocurrency, Saturday crossed a “Normalcy has returned tion of the COVID-19 guide- record high of $60,000. Bitcoin to Odisha. None of us wants lines issued by both the state has risen sharply this year, broadly lockdown to return. Wearing and the Centre. outperforming conventional asset face masks is a must when Of the new cases, 43 were SHORT TAKES classes, partly due to broader ac- going outside and hand reported from quarantine ceptance as a form of payment. washing should be prac- centres and 28 detected dur- Two-day strike to India’s government is preparing tised after returning home. ing contact tracing. a Bill on cryptocurrencies after an One must follow the social Khurda district reported hit banking ops inter-ministerial panel proposed distancing norms,” the Chief the highest number of a ban and before that, the Supreme Minister said in his mes- fresh cases at 11, followed New Delhi: Banking operations Court struck down the Reserve sage. Patnaik also sought by Jajpur (7) and across the country could be Bank of India’s restrictions on Members of a charitable trust hold a demonstration seeking preservation of Barabati fort in Cuttack, Sunday OP PHOTO people’s cooperation in the Mayurbhanj (6). impacted Monday and Tuesday lenders providing services to crypto as United Forum of Bank Unions trading platforms. (UFBU) has given a call for a “From our (the Finance nationwide strike to protest Ministry's) side we are very clear that WOMAN HELD against the proposed privati- we are not shutting all options. We No evidence of attack on Mamata: EC sation of two state-owned will allow certain window for peo- lenders. Services such as CAPTIVE, ple to do experiments on blockchain, PRESS TRUST OF INDIA protectee," the EC said in a statement. deposits and withdrawal at bitcoins, or cryptocurrency,” said It said the state chief secretary, branches, cheque clearance and Sitharaman at an event. New Delhi, March 14: The Election in consultation with the DGP, is GANGRAPED loan approvals would be affected. UFBU claimed that Financial technology firms de- Commission Sunday concurred authorised to post a suitable di- about 10 lakh bank employees pend on blockchain, the backbone with its two poll observers that rector of security immediately. FOR 3 DAYS and officers of the banks will of cryptocurrencies, and they there was no pre-meditated attack The poll panel also decided that participate in the strike. should have a window available. on West Bengal Chief Minister a committee comprising the chief POST NEWS NETWORK “We are not going to shut it off Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram secretary and the DGP will "identify all,” she said. during her poll campaign, and that within next three days the other Keonjhar, March 14: In a shock- WEATHER “A lot of fintech companies have her injuries were the result of a proximate security personnel below ing incident, a married woman BHUB CTK made a lot of progress in it. We have security lapse. Director Security who failed in their was held captive and gang-raped got several presentations. Much Taking stern action over the duties to prevent the incident and for three days by two truck driv- MAX 35.7° 35.2° works at some states level are hap- "slack" bandobast arrangements, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with TMC leader Abhishek protect the Z+ protectee, and take ers at a house in Barbil town of pening. And we want to take it in the commission ordered immedi- Banerjee (R) and others during a rally on Nandigram Diwas in Kolkata, Sunday suitable action for their failure..." Keonjhar district. TEMP MIN 21.4° 19.8° Forecast a big way in IFSC or Gift City in ate suspension of IPS officer Vivek The EC also transferred Purba The accused drivers – Humidity 71% 67% Dry Gandhinagar,” she said, referring Sahay, who was in-charge of the ferred Purba Medinipur district a week for grossly failing in dis- Medinipur district magistrate Vibhu Khudabaksh Ansari and Rainfall Nil Nil weather to a meeting being called in the CM's security, and Purba Medinipur magistrate.