Wastes lie scattered on Paradip beach. Telegraph picture

Paradip, Nov. 23: The serene beauty of the golden beach in the heart of this port town wears ravaged look as the organisers of the annual Kalinga Bali yatra fair have left behind heaps of solid waste and garbage.

Now, the stench emanating from the garbage strewn all around is making it a nightmarish experience for tourists to stroll around the beach.

Bali yatra was organised in the port town a few days ago with much fanfare. The curtains came down on the annual fair on November 15.

However, the organisers have seemingly forgotten to clean up the mess left behind even a week after the fair ended.

As a result, discarded paper plates, plastic cups and mounds of polythene dot the entire beach. Even the civic authorities have forgotten to undertake a clean-up drive.

“It’s an act of criminal negligence. Nobody is bothered about the tourist importance of this beach,” said Binoy Kumar Ray, a local resident.

“Everywhere, one is greeted by waste, dirt and squalor. A foul smell has started emanating from the heaps of garbage. Many people have started staying off the beach. These days most parts of the beach remain deserted,” said Ashok Kumar Rout, a tourist.

“I used to trek on the beach everyday as part of physical exercise prescribed by my physician. But for the past one week, I have been forced to skip my training sessions because of the stench. There is nothing wrong in organising a fair for public entertainment. But at the same time, cleaning up the fair ground should have been done at the earliest,” said Rajendra Kumar Sahu, a local resident.

“Bali yatra was held at the Biju Maidan on the sea beach. The fair ended on November 15. But the stall owners delayed in packing up. As a result, garbage lying on the beach could not be cleared off on time. We have planned to clean it up in the next couple of days,” said Surajit Das, additional district magistrate, Paradip.

“During the preparatory meeting ahead of Bali yatra, it was decided to clean the beach a day after the fair ended. The authorities should have been careful regarding this as such matters pertain to the beauty of a beach in a tourist destination like Paradip,” said Jangya Kumar Rout, a member of Kalinga Bali yatra Organising Committee.

“In several beaches across the country, the use of polythene, disposable plastic cups, sachets and bags are prohibited. These are done for keeping the beauty of the beaches intact and making them tourist-friendly. But it is a matter of deep concern that officials here have scant regard towards such environmental safety measures. That’s why the beach in the heart of Paradip port town still wears a nasty and dirty look,” said Sankhanad Behera, an activist.