Kendrapara: The district administration has woken up with the collector leading cleanliness drive on Saturday with hygiene and sanitation measures going from bad to worse in the municipality's urban wards.

Armed with spade, broom and basket, district collector Reghu G. led a team of volunteers to clean up filth and squalor strewn across the Govari canal traversing through the township.

The drive has evoked good response as local residents joined hands with the Kendrapara Municipality staff members in cleaning up the canal, he said.

"A weeklong drive has been launched to spread the awareness on cleanliness among the residents of the township. I took part in the drive on Saturday in a bid to motivate the sanitation workers of the municipality and general public," said the Kendrapara collector.

"It was nice to see the collector rubbing shoulders with others for cleaning the township. It also drew others to get involved in the Saturday's drive. Such act will drive the negligent employees on sanitation work to perform duty in a better way," said local resident Himanshu Rout.

Heaps of garbage and waste were strewn across the water body and in the riverbed. The civic body authorities are found wanting in discharging its mandatory function for healthy civic life. "Despite repeated orders, sanitation could not be restored as people were found dumping garbage in the riverbed. So, I decided to involve myself," he said.

In the absence of a waste management system, the Govari irrigation canal has become a dumping ground of waste and garbage. The township also lacks proper sewerage network for the release of waste. As a result, the canal has got severely polluted because of the deposit of waste materials, he said.

Unless the local residents realise the significance of a healthy civic life and stop dumping the waste in the canal, the refurbishment of the water body is not practicable despite cleanliness drive by the civic body.

"Sanitation measures are being streamlined. Efforts are on to put in place the solid waste treatment system. Plan to put in place a proper drainage system is also being chalked out," he said.

However, many termed the Saturday's drive as a "publicity stunt" so far the collector's role was concerned.

"The launch of the sanitation mission with the collector cleaning garbage is nothing but a publicity stunt. The sanitation standard in the town is pathetic. Everywhere, the scene is the same. Garbage and waste get accumulated everywhere. It is a constant source of health hazard. Stench smell emanating from garbage heaps is making life miserable. The municipal authorities are watching silently as the residents here suffer," said another local resident Ardhendu Ray.