Patna: Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has turned a blind eye to heaps of silt lying unattended along side the Mandiri drain.

The stinking pile-up of waste scooped out from the drain around a fortnight ago, has turned dry and thick in the scorching sun but lies unattended till date, as the civil body has not bothered to transport it to the landfill site at Ramchak Bairaiya.

Local residents claimed that the unbearable stench emanating from the silt had made their lives miserable. They also claimed that this might trigger hygiene- and health-related problems for them and attracted rodents and strays.

According to the norm, silt removed from drains can be kept on roads until it dries up and must be dumped at Ramchak Bairaiya as soon as it dries up. Wet silt is not removed from the site as it would leave a trail on city roads on its way to the dumpyard.

Mayor Sita Sahu clarified that silt scooped out of drains had to be removed within 48 hours and if it was not done, the executive officer, city manager and sanitation inspectors were responsible.

"If what you are saying is true, then it is clearly the recklessness on the part of these officials and action must be taken against them."

The urban development and housing department minister, Suresh Kumar Sharma, recently issued instructions to the executive officers of all the PMC circles that there should not be any delay in any waterlogging-related work, else they would be taken to task.

Sita Ram Prasad Singh, who owns a milk booth in Mandiri, was unhappy as to PMC had left waste scooped out from the drain on the road for so long.

PMC commissioner Keshav Ranjan Prasad could not be contacted as his mobile was switched off, while the executive officer of New Capital circle, Shailesh Kumar, said he took cognisance of the matter on Monday before issuing showcause notice over this on the city manager and chief sanitary inspector.