Mohan Meakin Brewery fails to pay property tax since ‘94

Mohan Meakin’s historic brewery, located in Ward No. 4 of Solan, has reportedly defaulted on paying Conservancy Tax amounting to ₹56.82 lakh since 1994. The issue has come to light as the Solan Municipal Corporation (SMC), formerly Solan Nagar Panchayat, has struggled to recover the dues from the brewery. According to the civic body, the property falls under its jurisdiction, and the brewery has continued to enjoy public services like any other resident. However, the brewery’s management maintains that the property was never formally included in the municipal limits as the revenue records were not transferred when municipal boundaries were expanded between 1952 and 1977.

The SMC is now actively working to gather evidence to establish jurisdiction by tracing area inclusion notifications from 1952 to 1977 through the Directorate of Urban Development. Although the brewery and surrounding areas participate in municipal voting and receive civic services, the absence of proper record transfer has left a legal loophole that the brewery management is leveraging to contest the tax liability. This impasse has resulted in a prolonged delay in dues collection and a growing tax burden over the years.

Mohan Meakin’s roots go back to 1855 when it was established by Edward Dyer in Kasauli, before shifting to Solan for its spring water advantage. Renamed Mohan Meakin Breweries Ltd in 1966 and later Mohan Meakin Ltd in 1980, the company has played a key role in the region’s industrial legacy. However, its ongoing dispute with the municipal body underscores the importance of clear administrative boundaries and proper transfer of land records, without which governance and tax compliance remain challenging.