Residents of suburban localities under Dhanbad Municipal Corporation (DMC) have alleged that the civic body is not conducting proper sanitation drive despite the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The worst-hit are the residents of Jharia and Sindri circles who claimed that the DMC had not even once carried out a sanitation drive in residential colonies and lanes or bylanes since the outbreak of Covid-19. Only once or twice did it sanitise the main roads by using the fire tenders of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL).

Some have also questioned the quality of the disinfectants being used by the civic body.

Amit Sahu, president of Jharia Chamber of Commerce and the vice-president of Federation of Dhanbad Zilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said occasional sanitation was carried out once or twice a week on the main roads by deploying large tankers, but the roads leading to the residential colonies such as Gandhi Road in Jharia were being completely ignored.

“The residents of Jharia are also deprived of fogging. It has been carried out only once or twice in the residential colonies during the entire month of April despite the prevalence of mosquitoes,” Sahu said.

Anup Sao, former councillor of Ward 37 of Jharia, said most localities of the industrial town were densely populated and the houses are located quite close to each other.

“The residential colonies generate a huge amount of garbage that requires special attention during the hour of crisis like this. But here, the sanitation work is completely out of whack and same is the case with fogging,” Sao added.

Ranjit Singh, a resident of Ward 40 in Jharia, said he had never seen sanitation or fogging being conducted at Patherdih although garbage and drain cleaning were being carried out on a regular basis.

Municipal commissioner Chandramohan Kashyap said: “All the localities are being sanitised with the help of fire tenders and tractors fitted with tankers. Complaints are coming from localities that have narrow streets where tractors can’t reach. Hand sprays are being used in such localities.”