Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) took a bold action on Thursday by dumping a tractor-load of trash in front of Hotel Bansidhar near Kalpana Square in Odisha capital. The hotel had allegedly flouted sanitation norms.

A tractor, mobilized by the BMC, was used to dispose of wet straw in large heaps right in front of the hotel, which was accused of irresponsibly discarding waste across the road, disregarding the explicit instructions from the sanitation inspector of Ward 56.

This blatant defiance prompted the BMC to resort to this extreme measure as a clear warning to other potential violators.

BMC commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange asserted that this action was intended to send a stern message to all violators. Despite the established norms requiring all waste to be handed over to BMC's designated garbage collection vehicle, the hotel failed to cooperate with the agency.

Additionally, Kulange highlighted the provision of using the 'Safa' app for doorstep garbage collection, but lamented that many vendors and traders were uncooperative, leading to misconceptions about BMC's efficiency in garbage collection. He warned that strict action would be taken against such non-cooperative traders.

The hotel faced immediate consequences as BMC's southeast zone authorities sealed the premises and imposed a substantial fine of Rs 20,000 on the owner.