A heap of garbage on a road in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Oct. 16: The extra garbage generated during the last leg of Dussehra here is yet to be disposed of as the civic body machineries are engaged in removing the trees that have been uprooted due to Phailin’s impact.

“As bulk of our tractors and manpower were engaged in removing trees that had fallen under the storm’s impact, there were problems in regular collection and disposal of waste in the city,” said Cuttack Municipal Corporation commissioner Nihar Ranjan Mohapatra.

However, the debris caused by the cyclone’s impact has also not been totally lifted from various localities even four days after Phailin hit the state, including the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Several localities in Cuttack remained waterlogged due to heavy rain that had continued for two days from October 12.

The civic body sources said the delay in waste clearance was mainly due to intermittent rain that had lashed the city post Phailin.

Mohapatra said special measures had been taken to ensure proper sanitation, while collection and disposal of waste would be intensified after the garbage generated during the immersion ceremony was cleared.

“Already we have asked the officials of Ramky, entrusted with the job of collection and disposal of waste at 36 of 54 wards, to clear the waste from various localities at the earliest,” Mohapatra said.

Yesterday, though the immersion ceremony remained a low-key affair, a large number of devotees took part in the rituals. Sources said additional 10 to 20 metric tonnes of waste were generated during the ceremony.

“Garbage was dumped across the traditional immersion route from Mangalabag to Devi ghat. Despite the deployment of additional manpower by the corporation, the waste has not yet been cleared,” said Badambadi resident Debabrata Swain.

Swain said there was usually a delay on part of the corporation to sanitise the immersion route that almost turned into a dumping yard after the immersion ceremony every year.

Road communication at various parts was also affected as huge trees were uprooted under the cyclone’s impact. It also triggered a delay in waste clearance from various localities.

The local residents allege that the sanitary staff members have piled up the waste at many areas, an act that has created problems, and it has not been lifted for the past three days.

“It is the duty of every civic body to maintain all-round sanitation after a natural disaster. Though there was not much destruction in the city, still there is an urgent requirement to clear the waste,” said Buxi Bazar resident Basant Rath.