Sambalpur: SMC Disaster Services Issues; Lead in Taxes, Lag in Services
Sambalpur: Despite the Sambalpur Metropolitan Corporation being announced more than 11 years ago, elections have yet to take place. People suffer because there is no public representation. Basic urban facilities are unavailable. Officers are looting crores of rupees without hosting elections. Massive taxes are collected without providing services. The BJP held a news conference yesterday to discuss the SMC’s terrible services.
Manas Ranjan Bakshi, BJP’s state spokesperson, stated, “The Sambalpur Metropolitan Corporation is far from democracy and public service.” There is no mayor or corporator because there are no municipal elections. Ward residents are coming to the Metropolitan Corporation office to submit their issues. However, despite repeated complaints to the metropolitan officer’s office, there is no result.”
After the declaration of the Metropolitan Corporation, all kinds of taxes and duties were imposed. But the services could not be found. Billions are being spent on cleaning. However, the city is overflowing with garbage. Except for the main road of the city, the rest of the area has non-functional street lights. The drinking water supply system is limited to bare broken stand posts. Some stands have taps but there is no water. The park, built by spending crores of rupees, has now become a hangout for the underprivileged and drug addicts. Mr. Bakshi said that the park’s materials have been damaged due to lack of security and maintenance.
He added, “In Sambalpur, it is better not to talk about the sewage system. The work started in 2017, which was to be completed in 3 years, is still not half done. Despite many protests, 12 panchayats on the outskirts of Sambalpur city were included in the metropolitan corporation. Now they are facing problems. Now they do not have access to metropolitan facilities and rights. The previous Panchayat Raj system was also not available to them. So they are living in dire straits. However, high tax figures are collected from there.”
District Media Coordinator Sanjay Sadangi, Mukesh Jariwal, and Ranjit Rath attended the press conference.
