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Civic body demands tax
for third Test

M Chhaya in Kolkata

Kolkata mayor Subrata Mukherjee is threatening to hold up the final Test between India and the West Indies, beginning on October 30, if the organisers do not pay the civic body a hefty entertainment tax.

Mukherjee has asked the Jagmohan Dalmiya-headed Cricket Association of Bengal to pay an entertainment tax for the five-day match, but the Indian cricket board chief is refusing to comply.

"The CAB will be earning revenue of about 7-8 crore [70-80 million] from the third Test. Why can't it then pay taxes?" the mayor argued.

Mukherjee is being supported by West Bengal's Municipal Affairs minister Asok Bhattacharya, who says the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's demand is "not unjust", and he is willing to mediate between the two bodies.

The CAB has written to the KMC, making it clear that it is not willing to share any of its income from the third Test, which has lost much appeal because India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. It has also threatened to take recourse to legal redress if the KMC does not withdraw its demand or holds up the game.

Dalmiya, who spoke to Mukherjee over telephone, tried to argue that the KMC cannot ask for money for its services as the area where the Eden Gardens is located falls under the jurisdiction of the Indian Army. But, Mukherjee, on Tuesday, brought out the city map for reporters and pointed out that the stadium's area is outside the 'Blue Zone', which is controlled by the army, and indeed belongs to ward number 45 under the KMC.

"We can demand taxes under at least five heads from the CAB: advertisements, entertainment, property, conservancy and drainage," the mayor said.

He alleged that the CAB is boring deep tube-wells inside the stadium complex without obtaining the permission of the civic body. "We can fine them for that," he added.

The mayor refuted the charge that the decision to collect tax for the third Test is "sudden and whimsical" saying: "The KMC's 2002-2003 budget has provision for raising entertainment tax from golf, cricket, racing and tennis."

However, despite Mukherjee's arguments, Dalmiya is steadfast in his refusal to pay up though he has expressed his willingness to "discuss and resolve the matter".

The mayor, meanwhile, maintains he does not want to jeopardise the match, and is neither willing to forego the "money that is rightfully KMC's".