Aligarh Muslim University clarified on property tax dues

Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) today clarified that it has written letters to the Minister of Education and the University Grants Commission to settle the issue of payment of property tax dues of the Aligarh Nagar Nigam.

AMU further pointed out that the matter is subjudice and the case is pending in the Allahabad High Court. The Court of small causes is also hearing AMU’s plea.

The University has been paying house tax for residential areas, and it got exemption for the classrooms, laboratories and libraries from the Aligarh Nagar Palika.

The University has an outstanding amount of over Rs nine crores against Aligarh Nagar Nigam that has not paid electric consumption charges for its tube wells for water supply.

In 2006, when Aligarh Nagar Nigam came into being, it reversed the decision and University approached the High Court and the case is still pending.

The Banaras Hindu University and some other central institutions also got house tax exemption from the High Court and no tax is levied on classrooms, laboratories and libraries.

The Phase III trial of Covaxin, the Bharat Biotech Covid-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Virology (NIV), has been going on at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC). The first two doses have already been given to 1000 volunteers. The trial will go on for the next six months. JNMC, a dedicated Covid L2 Hospital, is treating coronavirus patients and has so far conducted over two lakh Covid tests.

The account seizure will also adversely affect JNMC’s war against the Covid pandemic.