Rourkela, June 29: In the absence of an elected civic body, residents here are compelled to suffer as officials pay scant regard to their complaints.

The election to the corporation is pending as it has been challenged in Orissa High Court.

Complaints of negligence and callousness of the municipality are pouring in from different parts of the city.

"Garbage are piling up in our locality and there is no one to clean up the mess," said Ramesh Sahu, a resident of Bondamunda. The situation is no different in areas such as Basanti Colony, Chhend, Civil Township or Koelnagar.

"As there are no elected representatives, officials do not pay any attention to our complaints," said Abinash Das, a resident of Civil Township.

Civil work, too, has been badly affected. Work that began on a road at C block in Koelnagar last year is yet to be completed. The patch of road is around 500 to 700 metres in length. Strangely, with the onset of monsoon, the road laying work has begun.

"What kind of planning is this? They could have finished the road during the long summer months but the authorities are doing it now. This is causing immense problem for commuters," said a resident.

Those commuting on two-wheelers are finding it difficult to ride through the slush.

Lack of co-ordination between several government departments and the municipality has led to the disruption of water supply. Work on the sewer lines was also left incomplete and debris got piled up on the road, blocking it for more than one and half months.

A resident said that the debris was cleared only after residents threatened to agitate.

The Telegraph on June 26 had reported about the vanishing dustbins in Rourkela. Around 30 dustbins have been hauled away for maintenance work and they are yet to be placed in their respective places. As a result, garbage is seen strewn all across the town.

Executive engineer of Rourkela Municipal Corporation Manoranjan Das said the bins had been taken for maintenance and civic work got delayed due to the monsoon.