Among ULBs in Odisha, Pattamundai offers an interesting case study because of its geographical positioning, political nuances, administrative overlap, and high climate change vulnerability.
On August 31, Odisha has been celebrating ‘Local Self Government Day’ to promote grassroots democratic governance, meaningful civic participation, and sustainable urban development.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced nearly Rs 883 crore worth of 593 projects for the newly formed Notified Area Councils (NACs) and existing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
Placing high hopes for the ULBs, the CM directed officials of ULBs ‘to provide services to citizens with efficiency, dignity and respect’. But first, are ULBs prepared to take on multiple crises of climate change breakdown, infrastructure deficiency, and rapid population growth? In short, are ULBs climate-proof and future-ready?
Among ULBs in Odisha, Pattamundai offers an interesting case study because of its geography, political nuances, administrative overlap, and high climate-change vulnerability.
Pattamundai Municipality, established as a NAC in 1988, is a medium-sized emerging town in Kendrapara district of coastal Odisha, surrounded by village panchayats of Pattamundai block. Unfortunately, after 38 years, the ULB reflects the gradual decay of the ideals of ‘Swayata Sashana’, or self-government, at the very local level.
Does Pattamundai Municipality demonstrate readiness to address multiple challenges, especially waterlogging and climate change emergencies, including as a model ULB for others or newly constituted NACs?
Geographically flanked by the Brahmani River in the northeast and a connecting channel to the River Gobari, locally called ‘Pota Nai’ (silted river or buried river) entrenched in the South, the Pattamundai municipality, created from 17 villages, is surrounded by 15 village panchayats out of 31 village panchayats of Pattamundai Block.
Swelling Brahmani River during Recurring floods
While the municipality depends solely on the surrounding villages, which can be classified as peri-urban areas, for food and services, there are minimal considerations of the linkages between rural and urban while planning for the development or addressing climate change impacts, present and projected, of either at the municipality or the surrounding village Panchayats or at the Block level.
The recurring medium-to-high floods this August-September, with stagnant floodwater still present, have exposed the climate emergency responses of both the Municipality and the Block.
A more than month-long flood from the swelling Brahmani River, affecting both the Municipality’s 11 wards and the Block’s 137 villages, has raised apprehensions about Odisha’s undisputed image as a model state for disaster risk reduction. Memories and images of severe floods and devastating cyclones remain vivid among the Municipality’s residents. Still, the region is far from climate-resilient.
At least, a helpline for the flood-affected people couldn’t be seen, advertised, or placed in public view in the Municipality area. Despite the Municipality having three digital screens that mostly relay cricket matches, global wildlife (sometimes Bhitarkanika National Park), and often traffic rules or solid waste management practices, no helpline for flood victims was displayed during the month-long flood.
Further, these three digital screens showed no announcements, regular or as-it-happens, related to flood response, relief, or rescue. These public platforms must be maximised for citizens’ benefit on matters related to the Municipality. Emergency or not, these screens must at least display information on the status of ongoing, proposed, and closed projects in the municipality.
What is the purpose of such digital screens? While the Municipality claims to have delivered all relief material (the second phase is still ongoing in Ward No. 5), the Block administration is believed not to have completed its relief distribution yet.
Despite coordination calls by the district administration during the flood, administrative overlap has clearly led to delayed action or inaction between the Pattamundai Municipality and the Block. In light of similar floods in 2025, the District Disaster Management Plan 2025-26, more comprehensive than its previous avatars, has identified vulnerable groups for special care during the disaster cycle.
While pregnant women were taken care of during the recurring floods, PWDs have so far not been as fortunate in receiving such care. With 1364 male and 736 female PWDs, 7890 households managed by women, 3,766 widows, and 17,444 elderly people in Pattamundai, has the Municipality identified and responded to these vulnerable people during and after the flood?
The present flood highlights the ULB’s readiness for future climate emergencies such as tropical cyclones and flooding, and its ability to provide a safe and healthy environment for its inhabitants. Pattamundai has natural drainage zones that function as sponges during wet seasons, which the administration is unmindfully and deliberately converting into, or encroaching upon, for housing or development projects.
Due to the lack of a legal planning document and the absence of public consultation or meaningful public participation, several wards of the municipality are submerged during the monsoon season. Waterlogging is a major health emergency. The drainage system has completely collapsed in Pattamundai. Does the Municipality know the extent of the existing drainage system connected to households?
Before it’s too late, the Municipality must identify, preserve, and protect natural drainage systems, wetlands, and swamps in Pattamundai’ s peri-urban areas. Refrain from altering natural drainage zones.
With the sewerage crisis, Solid Waste Management (SWM) is emerging as the ULB’s biggest challenge. Despite the sanitation department’s timely responsiveness, the environmental health of the ULB and its surroundings needs considerable improvement. With India’s updated SWM Rules, 2026, which replaced the old two-bin system with a mandatory four-stream segregation system at the source, how will the ULB address its poor track record of collection under the two-bin system?
The Municipality must not use SH 9 as an open graveyard for animal carcasses. It’s neither a pleasant site for the commuters on SH 9 nor a healthy sign for the Swachh Bharat Mission. Set aside a special zone to bury or burn the animal carcasses.
Proactive disclosure of information enhances transparency and accountability. In the era of uncontrolled AI, Pattamundai Municipality is very weak in disclosing relevant information to the public. The municipality’s website, created in 2024, is neither citizen-friendly nor up to date. Nothing is posted to help citizens participate in decision-making.
Is it not the right of the inhabitants of the wards to know the expenses incurred each year for their ward or for the municipality? Neither the annual report nor the annual budget of the corresponding years is available on the website. Further, the website provides no information on ongoing projects or schemes, or programs implemented in the Municipality.
Merely posting tenders, mostly for office equipment, does not encourage transparency and good governance. While the email address dates back to the NAC period (i.e., pattamundainac@rediffmail.com), other social media accounts such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) are not active.
Many projects were implemented hastily, without meaningful and prior consultation, resulting in failed or abandoned projects.
One of the digital screens at the Biju Patnaik Park
It would be difficult to find a successful project in the last few years, such as amusement parks, beautification of roads, or open gym projects, that qualify for meaningful public participation, information dissemination, and stakeholder ownership. Remember the embarrassing naming of the city as ‘Plumbing City’, which was withdrawn after huge public outrage. A social audit of all such projects would strengthen future projects.
ULBs, the engines of growth, are leading the fight against climate change through innovation, participation, and equitable planning. To become an ideal ULB, at least in Odisha, Pattamundai Municipality must demonstrate these features. Share information proactively by revamping the website, activating social media, and using digital screens frequently. Share minutes of public discussions and consultations on the website.
Publish audit reports and budgets regularly. Dedicate a special page for the projects (closed, ongoing, and proposed) implemented by the Municipality. The Department of Housing and Urban Development must initiate the awarding of ULBs on the next year’s Local Self Government Day based on their performance in three categories: dissemination of information, citizens’ participation, and climate-proofing.
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Dr Avilash Roul is a Senior Fellow at the Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict (SSPC), New Delhi. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of IndiaVerve.
