BERHAMPUR: The city’s sanitation has gone for a toss as most of the drains are choked with polythene and plastic in spite of the ban imposed on use of such materials since last year. While the district administration claims to have put in place robust measures to make the city clean, the clogged drains present a contrary picture.
Last year, a ban was imposed on use of polythene and the administration organised several awareness campaigns to educate people about the health and environmental hazards of plastic. Raids were conducted on various business establishments in the city and around a quintal of polythene and disposable plastic were seized and lakhs of rupees collected as fine.
Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange and the Commissioner of Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) also took part in the raids. However, the efforts seem to have gone in vain as the plastic problem continues to haunt the citizens.
Local BJP leader Kanhu Charan Pati said while the Collector and BeMC Commissioner are moving around the city imposing fine on shop owners, the administration has turned a blind eye to the dirty drains.
For the last two days, Kulange has been moving around the city on a bicycle to take stock of the cleanliness drives.
He interacted with traders on the importance of keeping the city clean and even imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on violators. Shop owners were asked to place dustbins and warned of action if they are found littering within five feet of their premises.
Pati said adding to the woes of overflowing drains, both sides of road in several areas of the city were dug up for laying pipelines of Janibili water supply project. Though the project was inaugurated in March last year, the laying of pipelines is still incomplete.
President of Sardar Ballav Bhai Patel multipurpose Sangh Ram Patra said sanitation work in 37 of the 40 Wards under BeMC has been privatised. As per norms, 30 to 40 sanitary staff should be engaged by private agencies. Besides, the BeMC has over 700 sanitary workers. However, the drains are not being cleaned, he alleged.
Besides polluting the area, the under-construction drains from Paramjyoti Chowk to Nilakantheswar Chowk via Prem Nagar have turned into mosquito breeding centres, he added.