Sambalpur: SMC Neglect; Garbage left in front of shiny walls, Leaving citizens to cope alone

The neat walls of the city are shining with mural art. Looking colorful all around. But the people are appalled by the garbage left in front of them. The exquisite artworks created with crores of rupees are sobbing in front of the garbage. Such a garbage scene was seen near the old bus stand near Lakshmi Talkies Street. As the garbage is not picked up, it has polluted the environment. The garbage stinks. The inefficiency and irresponsibility of the sanitation department of the Sambalpur Metropolitan Corporation has become a burden for the city.

• Garbage collection does not happen twice a day
• Vanished Peer and Supervisor
• Millions of rupees go into the pocket of the organization

Garbage has been lying near the old bus stand, a prominent place in Sambalpur city for a long time. Despite repeated complaints, the garbage could not be removed. The Sambalpur Metropolitan Corporation goes from house to house to collect wet and dry garbage in the morning. Garbage collection occurs twice a day in areas where shops are located: in the morning and in the evening. However, taking it once in the morning or once in the evening means it will stop every two days. So the shopkeepers are forced to throw garbage on the roadside. Clean companions with carts have been appointed to collect garbage from 600 houses. Supervisors and Ward Officers are given the responsibility to supervise them. But as these are not working properly, it is alleged that the whole city is filled with garbage.

A young man named Bikash Sahu of Modipada area said, that Sambalpur became a metropolitan corporation from the Municipal Council. More money will arrive. There will be more work. The cleanup responsibilities will be tendered to larger firms for large sums of amount. The city will look bright. In spite of getting a huge amount of money, now the city is not clean. Garbage is falling everywhere. No action is taken despite complaints. The person in charge of cleaning is keeping his mouth shut as he gets paid. Lakhs of rupees are spent daily on garbage collection expenses for each ward. But he said they would not spend this money and keep it in their own pockets.

Not only garbage, there are complaints that the city’s drains are also not cleaned continuously. Even after complaining several times, it was not clear. So people are living in a garbage-filled area. When the cleaning department of SMC was asked about it, they did not open their mouths.