Coal belt's oldest town, Jharia is now a garbage dump since last two months thanks to grounded civic vehicles.
Mounds of filth rot in areas such as Sabzi Mandi, Main Road, Dharamshala Road, Baliapur Stand, Koiribandh, Manbad, Lalbazar and Thana More. Rubbish overflowing from dustbins spill on the road, causing traffic jams. Residents have to side-step filth while attempting to hold their breath in a failed bid to avoid inhaling the stench.
Even as the mess reaches a point where it endangers public dafety and health, civic body MADA claims its hands are tied due to funds crunch.
There is no cash to run vehicles that tow garbage away.
"Fuel bills for three tractors and the lone excavator have not been cleared by the headquarters since last July. Monthly fuel cost is around Rs 50,000. Till November last year, we had run up a debt of Rs 2.5 lakh. Then, the petrol bunk owner refused us fuel," said MADA sanitary inspector (Jharia) Kalimuddih Ansari.
Garbage was last towed away from 56 public dustbins on December 5, after which vehicles ran out of fuel.
The reason for the acute funds crunch and consequent civic mess is a bureaucratic glitch. MADA lacks a permanent MD, which hinders fiscal transactions.
Councillor of ward No. 37 Anup Sao said as much. "This hinders normal functioning of the civic body," he said.
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