Though lakhs of rupees are spent for various programmes under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the headquarters town of Paralakhemundi and all other urban and rural parts in Gajapati have failed to maintain hygiene standard.
The roads, hospitals and offices are not clean and garbage is not properly disposed. Open defecation on the roadside is a common feature and no amount of awareness has effectively convinced people to refrain from it.
There is unbearable stench due to mounting garbage in public places. Though rallies and campaigns are held by involving people from various walks of life by the Government agencies and NGOs, but no effective changes have taken place in the district. Many blocks have been declared as open defecation free (ODF), but in practice, the people have not left their habit.
The Garabandh panchayat of Gosani block was declared as ODF two years back, but still open defecation is continuing there.
There is much irregularity in the construction of latrines. There is a competition by various agencies to take the contract as there is incentive money of Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,000 per each unit. Even flouting rules, the woman self help groups (WSHGs) are assigned to construct the latrines. Pigs are roaming in the open leaving stool and creating dirt, but no step is taken to tackle the problem.