Sambalpur: The sanitation condition in the city areas of Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) has deteriorated badly in recent months.
The residents of the civic area are not getting the benefit of the expenditure of around Rs 1 crore a month, incurred by the SMC in the 41 wards under it. Contractors and some unscrupulous SMC officials are reaping benefits instead. Some garbage vehicles are moving on main roads of the civic area and removing garbage from some of the wards.
However, none of the SMC staffers are visiting the lanes and by-lanes of the city and its suburbs. This is the condition prevailing in almost all the SMC wards. Despite repeated complaints by residents, civic organisations and political parties, the SMC authorities have not taken any action.
Some unscrupulous SMC officials are preparing false bills of cleaning and garbage removal using fake documents.
The SMC is looking after sanitation and garbage removal in 14 of the wards and have awarded contracts for the remaining 27 wards in the civic area.
The ex-Sarpanch of Ward No: 40 in the Maneswar area, Sanjay Chhuria, had brought the matter to the knowledge of SMC Deputy Commissioner Subhankar Mohanty a month back. He had assured Sanjay that cleaning will be taken up within 15 days.
However, the condition is the same in Rasanpur, Mirgamunda, Gurupali, Chandamunda, Maneswar, Halipali and Kanteipali villages of Ward No: 40 in Maneswar. Heaps of garbage can be seen in these areas.
The public has demanded immediate action by the civic authorities and an inquiry into the corruption charges.
Reacting to this, Collector Shubham Saxena said, “I will order the SMC authorities to take up cleaning and also to take steps to conduct a probe into the charges of corruption and irregularities.”
PNN