Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Feb 1: Piles of debris have become a bone of contention between the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the public works department (PWD) and public health engineering organisation (PHEO).
BMC is irked with the practice of PWD and PHEO of dumping construction debris in conservancy lanes (spaces between two rows of houses), particularly as the civic body is drawing flak from the public for this. Dozens of complaints of lanes flooded with construction debris and garbage are being lodged with the corporation every week.
The civic body has now decided to write to the PWD and the PHEO to stop this practice.
Several corporators have brought the matter to the notice of Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and urged him to write to the top brass of PWD and PHEO so that BMC can maintain cleanliness in conservancy lanes.
“We have discussed the issue and decided to urge officials concerned to prevent dumping of trash and debris in conservancy lanes. BMC is serious about the issue,” Mayor AN Jena said.
The corporator for ward 25, Mansirani Sundarray, said that a majority of conservancy lanes in her ward are swamped with debris. “PWD and PHEO are dumping construction debris in the lanes, which is inconveniencing residents. The issue needs immediate attention at the earliest, particularly in areas such as N1, N2, N3, N5, RBI quarter, Police Colony and ESI Colony that fall under my ward,” she said.
Ward 29 corporator and chairman of taxation standing committee Sheikh Nizamuddin said BMC does not have adequate funds to clean conservancy lanes at regular intervals.
“The practice of dumping debris in the conservancy lanes is condemnable and the BMC chief should initiate action. The corporation will shortly write to the works secretary to make concerted efforts in this direction. BMC is awaiting the state government’s nod for slapping user fee on violators dumping trash and debris in a haywire manner,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sahid Nagar corporator Saswati Mishra and residents of the area have set an example by sanitising conservancy lanes on their own to maintain hygiene.
PWD chief engineer BC Pradhan said he was not aware of the issue.