Sanitation Secrets Exposed; Allegations of Fund Misappropriation in Waste Management Drive
Asit,Panda,Odishabarta
Their Long Term as Service Provider; they under estimate to the Mahanagar Citizens,as they are favouring (!)
Berhampur, October 2,,2026: Serious allegations of irregularities and possible financial mismanagement have surfaced in connection with sanitation services under the Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC), with questions being raised over manpower deployment, attendance verification, and enforcement of contractual conditions by private sanitation agencies.
To streamline sanitation and waste-management services, BeMC divided various wards into zones and engaged three Bhubaneswar-based private agencies — *Pratyush, **Para, and **PMR* — for sanitation-related work.
However, information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has raised questions over whether the agencies are complying with the manpower requirements specified in their contracts.
Former municipal corporator *Anil Nayak*, who obtained the information through the RTI Act, has alleged that the number of sanitation workers deployed on the ground is significantly lower than the manpower prescribed under contractual agreements in several wards.
According to the information cited by Nayak, the alleged shortage of manpower has placed an additional workload on the workers actually engaged in sanitation operations. There are also allegations that workers face pressure, including the possibility of termination, if they raise concerns regarding working conditions or manpower shortages.
The attendance verification mechanism has also come under scrutiny. Questions have been raised over the implementation of biometric attendance for sanitation workers. Nayak has alleged that inadequate attendance verification could create scope for discrepancies between the actual number of workers deployed and the manpower reflected in records used for billing.
The enforcement of contractual penalty provisions has also become a matter of concern. While the agreements reportedly contain provisions for imposing penalties on agencies for failing to maintain the prescribed workforce, allegations have surfaced that such provisions have not been effectively enforced.
Nayak has demanded an independent inquiry into the execution of the sanitation contracts, including manpower deployment, attendance records, bills, payments, and enforcement of contractual conditions. He has also sought appropriate action against any agency or official found responsible for violations after a proper investigation.
The agencies are allegedly violating contractual norms, while the concerned authorities are aware of the situation. A thorough and impartial investigation is necessary to establish the facts and fix responsibility, if any,” Nayak said.
The allegations have raised questions about the utilization of public funds earmarked for sanitation services in the city.
Meanwhile, residents across several parts of Berhampur continue to face inconvenience due to persistent sanitation and garbage collection issues.
