Garbage dumped on the Ring Road in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, May 10: Roadsides in the city have turned into virtual garbage dumps with the dumping yard issue remaining unresolved.

“The municipality is dumping waste on roadsides making the city look like a dumping yard,” said Pushparani Mohapatra, an advocate. “They have even dumped garbage beside the ring road which is causing problem for commuters,” she added.

On the other hand, the State Pollution Control Board had withdrawn the proper solid waste management authorisation from Sambalpur Municipality since last September.

The State Pollution Control Board had also filed a criminal case against the executive officer of Sambalpur Municipality charging that solid waste generated from the town was not being properly handled by the civic body. The case was filed in the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate, Sambalpur, in October 2010 and the court was urged to take cognisance of the offence and punish the accused.

“We have filed a case in the court of the sub-divisional judicial magistrate, Sambalpur. We have even withdrawn proper solid waste management authorisation from Sambalpur Municipality,” said Sitikantha Sahu, regional officer of State Pollution Control Board.

Washing his hands off, Sambalpur Municipality executive officer Subash Chandra Sethia said: “A voluntary organisation has been assigned with garbage disposal.”

“The garbage dumped along the ring road will be removed soon. We are facing problems in disposing garbage because the issue of dumping yard has remained unresolved,” said the executive officer.

Sambalpur Municipality was allotted 26 acres of land for a dumping yard in Jamadar Pali, which is eight km from the city. The civic body has also spent more than Rs 1crore for construction of the dumping yard. The municipality has constructed the boundary wall but the villagers staying near the proposed site are opposed to the dumping yard being set up there.