Paradip, Dec. 8: The golden beach in the heart of the port town now wears a ravaged look as the annual fair has taken a heavy toll on it. Organisers of the fair have left behind heaps of solid waste and garbage.

The annual Kalinga bali yatra was organised here with much fanfare. Curtains fell on the event on December 2. But organisers have not cleaned it up after the fest.

The beach is littered with filth, garbage, bio-degradable wastes and mounds of polythene. “It’s an act of insensitivity on the part of the authorities, who should keep in mind the beach here draws tourists every day. Nobody is bothered about the importance of this beach,” said Amaresh Mohanty, a local resident.

One is greeted by waste, dirt and squalor everywhere. “The Bali yatra was held at the Biju Maidan on the beach. The fair ended on December 2. But the kiosk owners took time to leave. As a result, wastes lying on the beach could not be cleared in time. We plan to clean it up in the next couple of days,” said Sarada Prasad Panda, executive officer, Paradip municipality.

“It was decided to clean the beach in a day, during the preparatory meeting. Authorities should have been more careful,” said Pravat Kumar Samantaray, a member of the port trust board.