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An arresting sight, indeed!

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: Sight of dustbins put in locks or glasses fixed to chains near drinking water taps in the capital city may appear hilarious but the administration makes these arrangements out of compulsion.

Thanks to deteriorating civic sense among citizens for which the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has to make such extra efforts in delivering various services to people.

The idea of locking dustbins came when dustbins, which came in handy, were stolen from the busy Master Canteen and Raj Mahal area. Even dustbins disappeared within a few days of being put for public use on Mohatma Gandhi road in front of the State Assembly.

Biggest headache

The biggest headache has been the frequent theft of concrete cover on safety tanks. A couple of months ago, a boy was killed when he fell into a manhole in Bhimatangi area.

"It is impossible to keep track of covers on every manhole in the city. Nowhere in the world have police been asked to keep watch on these covers. It is duty of people to make sure that no public property gets damaged in their proximity," a BMC official said.

On several occasions the civic body has tasted failure in implementing programmes. The BMC had recently earmarked as many as 11 parking lots but nobody seems to be using them.

"Except for four parking spaces, rest has been lying unutilised.

People habitually park their vehicles near the no-parking zone boards," BMC Commissioner Aparajita Sarangi said. The Commissioner said the BMC was also not getting adequate complaints from people on the quality of service offered to them.

However, General Secretary of the Confederation of Citizens' Association Shubhranshu Rath said it was not the lack of civic sense alone but the situation reflected the failure on the part of the administration. "The BMC has not geared up to meet challenges of population increase. Where there is a private firm on the job, the service delivery system has been working fine but in other area situation remains gloomy," he said. Mr.

Rath, however, said non-cooperation of the general public was only adding to the capital's woes.

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