The empowered standing committee of Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday ordered better sanitation and streetlights for the city.

The committee headed by mayor Afzal Imam issued directives for special cleanliness drives and maintenance of streetlights during the festivities. The panel also recommended start of cleanliness drives and sprucing up the ghats for Chhath. There will be no door-to-door waste collection in the city during the festivals, as the standing committee discarded the proposed user charges and recommended fresh bidding for the process.

"There will be dedicated labourers, sanitation workers and timely removal of garbage from the pandals during Durga Puja. With regard to Chhath, the tender to barricade and maintain the ghats will be floated after finalising a list of dangerous ghats," said Imam. The mayor added that instructions were given for the repair of 60 old compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in the 72 wards ahead of the festivities.

"A number of streetlights in the city do not work properly. Accordingly, the standing committee issued directives for the repair and maintenance of streetlights on the main roads on priority basis," said Imam. Most residential colonies don't even have poles for streetlights. However, the PMC said the situation has improved with the installation of 60 CFLs in the 72 wards.

With regard to the door-to-door garbage collection, the mayor said the proposed user charge of Rs 90 per house every month is exorbitant for the residents.

"The proposed rates for door-to-door collection of waste or user charges are quite high. Hence, we have ordered its revision and fresh bidding for selecting agencies, which would undertake the work according to the revised rates," said Imam.