BHAWANIPATNA: The deteriorating sanitation condition in Bhawanipatna has caused resentment among the residents.They alleged that most of the lanes and by-lanes in the town are stinking as drains are not cleaned. The sanitation workers dispose of garbage along the streets or banks of water bodies instead of dumping it at a yard located along Bhawanipatna-Raipur Highway on the outskirts of the town.
At present, Bhawanipatna Municipality has 34 regular sanitation workers. About 194 contractual workers are engaged by an outsourcing agency. But due to lack of supervision, sanitation workers rarely clean the roads. However, locals said a minimum of 350 to 400 workers are required for maintaining proper sanitation in Bhawanipatna.
Municipality Executive Officer Biswambar Mishra said the civic body has three tractors to dispose of garbage whereas at least 10 tractors and 10 auto-tippers are required for the job. Though Power Grid Corporation of Odisha had donated a vehicle to clean dusty roads, it became defunct within a month. Steps will be taken to improve sanitation of the town before monsoon, he added.