BERHAMPUR: Delay in conduct of urban body polls has cast a dark shadow on progress of development works in Berhampur city.In the absence of an elected council in the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), many important projects in the city have been stalled.
The State Government had dissolved all urban bodies including the BeMC a year back. As per norms, Ganjam collector became the administrator. Along with BeMC Commissioner, the Corporation came to be governed by bureaucrats. This had raised hopes of fast-paced implementation of development works and initiation of new projects due to bureaucratic control. However, this hasn’t been the case.
While the conditions of roads and drainage system in the city have nose-dived, misplaced priorities have worsened the situation. The BeMC authorities have focused on cosmetic issues like beautification through wall-paintings, etc instead of addressing basic civic issues like drainage, roads, sanitation, waste management and others. The authorities have even failed to sustain the ongoing development works.
Projects including those on solid waste management, modernisation of Ramlingeswar pond and Jalibili mega water supply, which started years ago, have been left in the lurch. The much-needed and ambitious project to make Digital Door Numbering (DDN) of all households in the city has met with a similar fate. As per the project proposal, DDN would provide detailed information on location, ownership and postal addresses of households on BeMC website.
This apart, public-toilet facilities set up in different parts of the city, have been left unused after inauguration due to lack of water and power supply.The failure of the civic administration has led people to demand early conduct of urban body polls so that an elected council can get the “babudom” into work.