Cuttack, May 23: Congress workers today staged a demonstration and alleged that the municipal corporation had failed to streamline collection and disposal of garbage across the city.

The Cuttack Municipal Corporation has not been able to implement the Solid Waste Management Project - 2016, which it had drawn up for streamlining sanitation work.

Nearly a thousand party workers led by city Congress president Md Moquim today surrounded the corporation headquarters at Choudhury Bazaar to register their protest.

The agitators briefly clashed with the police when they tried to enter the municipal corporation premises and broke a few earthen flowerpots.

"The situation is appalling and common citizens are being forced to bear the nauseating environment created by uncleared garbage in various parts of the city," Moquim told the municipal commissioner while submitting a memorandum.

"Though the corporation continued with Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited of Hyderabad even after expiry of its five-year contract in April last year, there has been unabated deterioration in the city's sanitation situation. While garbage lying along major roads is a common sight, door-to-door waste collection had become irregular," he said.

While assuring to resolve the garbage crisis, municipal commissioner Bikash Mohapatra said: "We are hamstrung due to a legal dispute raised over finalisation of tender for awarding the five-year contract for garbage collection and disposal to a new private party. If the high court gives us the go-ahead, we will award the contract to a new party," the municipal commissioner said.

Mohapatra said the Solid Waste Management Project - 2016 had not been implemented due to the legal dispute.

However, Congress councillor Giribala Behara said: "The sanitation situation in the city is due to the lack of mechanism for monitoring the collection work."

The city Congress also demanded immediate silt removal from the main drains to prevent waterlogging during monsoon.

Responding to the plea, Mohapatra said: "We are doing our job. The removal of silt from the main storm water channels and branch storm water channels is under way. The silt removal operation is expected to end within the next 15 days."

"As for the stretches of main drains where work is under way under the Japan International Cooperation Agency funded project, the authorities concerned have been asked to complete silt removal by May 30," he said.

The city Congress had submitted a 15-point charter of demands, including early completion of the project to light up the streets using LED lights, regular sanitation measures in Markatnagar, inquiry into embezzlement of funds collected from holding tax and rental of kalyan mandaps.