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Bhubaneswar: While Bhubaneswar was ranked as the top Smart City in the country in 2016, a recent 'Swachh Survekshan' report of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has revealed that the capital city has further slipped in terms of cleanliness.
Bhubaneswar was at 94th position in 2017 and slipped to 243 in 2018, and in the 2019 rankings, it has taken a plunge to 288th rank. Moreover, in terms of cleanliness, it is ranked below other cities of the State like Berhampur, Rourkela, Cuttack and Sambalpur.
Lack of proper drainage system and waste management has reportedly led to the slip in the rankings of the capital city. The Central Standing Committee, which recently visited the State, also expressed disappointment citing inadequate steps being taken in the smart city to address these issues.
"No such efforts were made by the State government towards solid waste management till June 2019, but they have now started working on it," said Jagdambika Pal, head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development.
On the other hand, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation workers have threatened to go on strike from February 1, if the civic body doesn't take any step towards increasing their salaries.
Though the Labour Commissioner had reportedly directed to pay a minimum wage to the people engaged in sanitation work in the City, the concerned agency is yet to implement the directive.
"BMC officials are not holding any discussions with us and saying that they can't do anything. The contractual agency, on the other hand, is stating that they are not being paid by the BMC and hence, they can't pay us more," said Sahadev Nayak, president of Odisha contractual sanitation employees association.
Left with no other option, the association has decided to go on a cease-work agitation from February 1, said Nayak.
"BMC has been giving us assurances, but as they are yet to release more money, we are unable to pay the workers," said Santosh Kumar Jena, supervisor of Ramky- the agency that handles sanitation work for the municipal corporation.
However, BMC Commissioner Prem Chand Chaudhary said that a lot of improvement has taken place in recent times.
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