The official website of Midnapore municipality is a classic example of hypocrisy and duplicity as regards the waste and garbage disposal of the town by its sanitation and conservancy department.

The condition of the sludge deposited drains by the side of the narrow lanes and byelanes, huge dumps of garbage and flying plastic wastes almost all around the town show how the department responsible for the clearance and disposal of garbage let alone recycling of waste, is functioning.

In the website of the municipality, it is proudly stated: “The main objective of the sanitary department is to clean and clear the municipal area…. Clean the roads and the drainage system, maintain drainage systems and proper disposal of garbage. The department of sanitation directs all activities related to garbage collection, disposal, recycling, and street cleaning, including registration of new garbage and recycling cans.”

After stating its laudable objectives, the services to be rendered by the department to the citizens are listed, and in point no.4, it is stated: “Disposal of the garbage outside the town” is one of the services, which the municipality has to provide to the taxpayers.

One has to visit ward no.24, on the southwestern part of the town and walk along the historic Dak Bungalow Road towards the Kasai river to watch the double standard of this hundred-year-old civic body presently being headed by the sub-divisional officer (SDO) and waiting for the election. Huge dumps of garbage containing hazardous solid wastes, like plastic bags form small hillocks with grazing cattle in the daytime.

These hillocks of garbage are lying just by the side of a DAV school right within a residential area named Saratpally. “Mounds of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wet and dry garbage are being dumped indiscriminately almost on a daily basis at this vacant site for months, and during the rains turn into a stinking menace for the local residents, and morning and evening walkers towards the riverside”, said Abhijit Guha a former professor of Vidyasagar University and a resident of Saratpally.

Professor Guha further asked, “I wonder how during the Covid 19 pandemic the municipality could allow such indiscriminate dumping of garbage right within a residential area by the side of a school and a number of government offices including the state water resources and investigation department?” When asked, Subhashish Ghosh, secretary of Nagarik Samity said, “We have several times lodged complaints with the SDO, Sadar and Municipal Supervisor, but no nothing steps have been taken yet”.