Nayagarh: Sans dustbins and with heaps of garbage lying around, Nayagarh town has practically turned into a large dumping yard itself.
Even though plastic dustbins were procured last year, they are not being used by the civic authorities. When questioned, the authorities rather have a bizarre answer. “Had we not got them removed, they would have been stolen away,” a municipality official said.
That said, by removing dustbins, the municipality has turned the roads and lanes of the town into dumping yards, alleged some residents.
According to official data, the municipality conducted a meeting in February 2018 to find ways to keep the town clean. Accordingly, it was decided to place green and blue coloured dustbins at various places in all the wards including shopfronts at key markets.
Subsequently, a tender was floated and dustbins were procured. They were also put up at the pre-decided locations. But a few months later, they were removed, resulting in stinking heaps of garbage accumulating in every nook and corner of the town.
While municipality staff collect garbage from some places, many other places have piles of garbage lying around till noon emitting a foul smell, locals alleged. Many others said that with no alternative provided by the municipality after removing the dustbins, people and shopkeepers are forced to throw garbage on the streets. And the accumulation of garbage attracts stray dogs and cattle. This often leads to accidents on these stretches, they added.
When contacted, Nayagarh municipality executive officer Santosh Kumar Jena refused to comment on this.
“They have been removed to avoid them from being stolen away,” another official said on conditions of anonymity.
When contacted, Nayagarh municipality sanitation inspector Laxmidhar Sahu said the removed dustbins are damaged ones. And the good dustbins kept on the municipality office premises are meant for the district headquarters hospital. People have mistaken these dustbins as the ones removed from different locations. Soon door to door garbage collection would be introduced in the town, he informed.
PNN