Koraput, 5th Sept 2025: In Jeypore Municipality of Koraput district, cleanliness and waste management initiatives seem to exist only in name and through publicity campaigns, with no real impact on the ground. Across several wards, the waste management system has completely collapsed, leading to growing dissatisfaction among local residents.
Notably, areas such as the park near Kendriya Vidyalaya, the vicinity of Parabeda Jhankar Temple, and the Third Line area have become dumping grounds for garbage. Observers say it appears as though the municipality has unofficially turned some of these places into mini dumping yards. Even a light shower causes unbearable stench, raising health concerns for students of the nearby Kendriya Vidyalaya.
Despite repeated complaints by locals, no effective action has been taken. The sanitation and waste management responsibilities have been handed over through tender to a Bhubaneswar-based private agency, L&K Pvt. Ltd., which reportedly receives over ₹76 lakh monthly for the job.
According to the agreement, 361 sanitation workers were to be deployed across Jeypore, and the municipality was divided into four zones across 28 wards to streamline operations. The agency reportedly employs:
172 unskilled workers
57 semi-skilled workers
99 skilled workers
33 drivers
However, many workers under this agency are reportedly not performing duties as per schedule. As per the contract, cleaning activities such as street sweeping must occur daily between 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM and 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, while garbage collection vehicles must operate door-to-door from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM and again from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Drain cleaning, sludge removal, and garbage lifting are also to be done seven days a week.
The contract also mandates compliance with Indian labor laws, including the rule that no worker should be made to work more than 48 hours a week, and minimum wages must be provided as per Odisha Government norms. A quarterly review of the agency’s performance is required. If performance is unsatisfactory, the municipality has the right to:
Issue written notices
Impose a penalty of up to 0.5% of the monthly contract amount
Terminate the contract for repeated failures
Public Frustration and Alleged Favouritism
Despite this, residents report that several months ago, even after repeated complaints about the deteriorating sanitation system, no corrective action was taken. A show-cause notice was once issued by the Executive Officer of the municipality to the agency, but no major change followed.
The previous contract expired on March 11, 2025, and instead of floating a new tender or penalizing the agency, the same company was granted an extension of 10 months, raising serious questions among residents. People suspect there may be internal political or personal interests behind this decision, preventing effective sanitation services from being delivered.
Locals have started questioning whether there are hidden agreements between political leaders or officials and the agency, which could explain why citizens continue to be deprived of proper waste management services. Public dissatisfaction with the sanitation system is growing, and strong criticism is being directed at the municipality’s Executive Officer for the ongoing mismanagement and lack of accountability.