Cuttack, July 1: To put the civic administration in the city back on track, Orissa High Court has set a 13-day deadline for the state government to fill up nine key posts, including that of the commissioner, which have been lying vacant in Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC).

The court set the deadline after it came to know that civic administration in Cuttack had been facing a crisis for over a month as several key posts were lying vacant in its civic body.

Several members of the high court bar raised the issue when a bench was hearing about civic problems in this city yesterday.

Among the posts lying vacant include that of the commissioner, the city engineer, the secretary, the deputy secretary, the slum development officer, the assistant health officer, the finance officer, the recovery officer and the chief auditor.

Taking note of the issue, the bench of Justice Bimal Prasad Das and Justice Madan Mohan Das directed the state government to fill up the posts by July 13.

“The court expected the urban development and housing department secretary to ensure filling up of the posts or appear in person in court on July 13 to show a cause for not being able to do so,” amicus curiae Pravat Ranjan Dash told The Telegraph today.

Official sources said the CMC administration was virtually paralysed as its top post had been lying vacant, along with several other posts, ever since commissioner Rabi Narayan Nanda retired from service last month. Joint commissioner Laxminarayan Mohapatra has since been officiating as the commissioner-in-charge.

Civic maintenance and development work has also been hampered as the CMC was functioning without a head since city engineer Kanhu Charan Mohapatra was relieved of his duties following a transfer order more than a month ago.

“A fallout in the civic management standards is evident from the chaotic state of the pre-monsoon renovation and repair work of the main drains, branch drains and tertiary drains across the city this year. The annual desiltation programme has also been messed up this year,” said a senior official of the corporation on conditions of anonymity.

The post of the city health officer was also lying vacant for over a month since the transfer of Dr Swapneswar Gadanayak on May 27. The post was filled up last Friday as Dr D.K. Pradhan was appointed the new city health officer. The post of the assistant health officer, however, continues to remain vacant.