Preparations on in full swing for the upcoming Bali yatra festival in Cuttack. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Nov. 6: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has drawn up special plans to maintain sanitation during the historic Bali yatra, which will start from November 10.

Apart from installing dustbins at different locations, awareness will be created among visitors and traders to maintain cleanliness in and around kiosks on the yatra ground.

“This year, we are expecting a rise in total garbage generation during Bali yatra. We will take adequate measures for swift and effective collection and disposal of solid waste generated from the fair on a daily basis,” said mayor Saumendra Ghose.

The corporation officials said they were expecting around 30 to 40 per cent rise in total garbage generation during the six-day festival. The festival draws three to five lakhs of people from across the state to the Millennium City.

At present, the city generates around 160-170 tonnes of solid waste everyday.

Keeping this in mind, efforts will be initiated to ensure that proper sanitation standards are maintained during the fair. At the same time, it will also be ensured that garbage collection and disposal from other parts of the city are not affected because of special attention given to the fair.

Official sources said about 1,300 kiosks and pavilions would come up on the Bali yatra ground. Ethnic and rural crafts from Orissa and other states will be one of the main attractions of the fair.

Bookings for all the kiosks have already been completed by most traders. The process of allotment of plots and kiosks will be completed in a couple of days.

Though the corporation has outsourced bulk of its solid waste management responsibilities to Hyderabad-based Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd, sweepers of the civic body will take up manual sweeping on the Bali yatra ground.

“We will initiate measures to ensure that waste generated from the fair is dumped and subsequently lifted from one-point. This will help in quick waste disposal,” said Rajesh Rai, assistant project head of Ramky.

The corporation has also made special provisions along with the district administration to ban the use of polythene carry bags during the festival.

“The use of polythene will be restricted during Bali yatra. The corporation and the district administration have decided to set up five to six kiosks selling non-polythene carry bags, which can be used by traders and consumers as well,” said the mayor.

Measures will also be taken by the corporation and the district administration to ensure that no stale food is served to people during the festival.

“We have formed special squads, consisting of various officials, who would carry out inspection to check that no stale food is served at the fair. Besides, a medical camp will also be established by chief district medical officer on the Bali yatra ground,” said city health officer S. Gadanayak.