SUNDARGARH: Sundargarh Municipality has become one of the few Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State to put its employees under electronic surveillance. The municipality has initiated a host of measures to augment delivery of various services and boost development.
Sources said till recently, the civic body was dogged by erratic work culture and allegations of non-performance. But it has made a turn around in recent times.
It has launched its website, introduced biometric attendance system and fitted surveillance cameras inside and outside the office. With the employees instructed to follow dress code and carry identity cards, the impact has been visible visible. The employees have become punctual and are found available on their seats during working hours.
In the town having a population of about 50,000, there are 19 municipal Wards. It was once the headquarters of the erstwhile princely estate of Gangpur. But, in 63 years of its existence, the civic body has not been able to achieve the desired growth and the delivery of services too was below the mark.
With a medical college of NTPC coming up and three major industrial projects in the offing in nearby blocks, rapid improvement is required.
Municipality Chairperson Benudhar Tandia of BJD said the civic body has introduced single window system and outsourced sanitary services in 14 Wards besides initiating door-to-door garbage lifting. “Construction works worth `three crore are underway to improve 20 kms of roads and five kms of drainage system,” he said. It has about 217 kms of roads and 20 kms of drainage network.
Tandia said three non-residential buildings are under construction and plans are afoot for introduction of LED street lighting systems. While cleaning of main drain is underway to avoid water-logging in monsoon, they were exploring the ways to increase revenue generation, he added.
However, the municipality having 49 regular and 36 non-regular employees has been lacking in financial management. Of its annual budget of `20 crore, it has been able to spend less than `10 crore.
Sundargarh District Bar Association (SDBA) president Jugal Kishore Thakur lauded the latest initiatives but said providing better drainage and road networks along with piped water supply to all wards remain a challenge.