Tax evasion drummers!

Hmmm, do you think this could be put into effect over here?

Indian city uses drummers in campaign to punish and coerce tax evaders
at 1:22 on April 1, 2005, EST.

HYDERABAD, India (AP) - Tax authorities in southern India have found a new way to handle tax evaders: sending teams of traditional drummers to noisily pound away outside their homes or shops until they pay up.

Tax officials in Andhra Pradesh state's Rajahmundry city said Thursday they had recovered three-fourths of the 50 million rupees, the equivalent of about $1.2 million US, owed by people there after sending drummers to the doors of tax cheats. The sense of shame evoked by the racket was enough to make most people come out and pay, said T.S.R. Anjenayalu, a Rajahmundry administrative official.

"The drive has been such a great success that we have had several inquiries from other cities and towns about it," Anjenayalu said.

This year's tax collection in Rajahmundry has hit an all-time high, with nearly 95 per cent collected, he said.

Rajahmundry, with 450,000, people, is about 500 kilometres east of the state capital, Hyderabad.

The city has hired 10 drummers for the collection drive.