Garbage dumped along Ring Road in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, March 9: The civic body here is grappling with sanitation problems faced by local residents, especially since the model code of conduct has come into force.

The municipality had outsourced the sanitation work of 15 of its 29 wards to an NGO. However, the organisation withdrew from the service on February 15.

Following this, the municipality had floated a tender inviting private firms to take up the work. The last date for responding to the tender was February 25. But as the model code is in force now, the municipality cannot finalise the tender any more.

Meanwhile, the sanitation scenario of the city has gone for a toss.

“Garbage is seen dumped along the main roads at several places of the city. Many drains of the city are also choked. The sanitation scenario of the 15 wards is in a sorry state now,” said Tarun Meher, a local resident.

“Cleanliness has always remained a matter of concern for the residents of the city. Though lakhs of rupees are being spent on cleanliness, there has not been any improvement in the sanitary scenario of the city. The organisation, which had been engaged for the sanitation of the 15 wards, was also not providing satisfactory service,” said another local resident, Dhirendra Padhee.

The municipality has temporarily engaged a firm for the cleanliness of those 15 wards. However, there has not been any visible change in the sanitary scenario of those wards.

“The municipality could have finalised the tender before the declaration of election. The people are suffering because of the negligent attitude of the authorities,” said Abhisekh Mohapatra, another resident.

Executive officer of Sambalpur Municipality Aniruddha Pahan admitted that the tender would be finalised after the code of conduct ceased to exist.

However, he said: “A firm has been engaged temporarily for the sanitation work of those 15 wards. The cleanliness of those 15 wards will be managed by the temporary firm till the code of conduct remains enforced.”