In a part of India where nothing seems to work, the steel cities are a saving grace. By Saibal Chatterjee

A river named Subarnarekha – ‘streak of gold’ – runs through it. But even as the price of the precious yellow metal crosses the Rs 19000 per 10 grams mark, the stocks of the crisis-ridden state of Jharkhand continue to be in free fall. Is anybody surprised?

Well, you might be a touch baffled if you happen to be a denizen of the steel city of Jamshedpur, which is in more ways than one an oasis of order surrounded by a choppy sea of chaos. Its neatly numbered streets are tree-lined and perfectly carpeted, its parks are well looked after and its numerous residential colonies and markets are wrapped in an orderly feel. The upkeep of the city is done by the Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company (JUSCO), a Tata Steel subsidiary. No wonder.

But drive just a few minutes away from the JUSCO-maintained part of town – into the messy suburb of Mango or the grimy industrial belt of Adityapur – and you know you are in God-forsaken Jharkhand. The private enterprise-public governance divide could not be any sharper than it is here.

In Jamshedpur, JUSCO is responsible for power and water supply, municipal solid waste management and maintenance of roads and parks. No matter what the power situation is in other pasrts of the state - it is usually very bad – the street lights of this city are always aglow from sunset to dawn.

In every civic sphere that one can think of, Jamshedpur usually runs like a well-oiled machine. Much the same is true of the other steel city of Jharkhand, Bokaro, which is a bustling industrial hub located on the banks of the Damodar. Like the rest of Jharkhand, it abounds in natural beauty.

Nature has indeed been gloriously kind to Jharkhand. Unfortunately, the politicians of the state have been anything but. As one drives from Dhanbad to Jamshedpur, Ranchi or Ghatsila, the splendour of the sylvan landscape can take your breath away on a clear day. But this is Maoist country, just a landmine away from mayhem. You cannot afford to let your guard down. Wherever possible, commuters in these parts prefer to travel in a convoy, seeking safety in numbers.

So, you retreat to the safety of Dimna lake, an artificial water body constructed by Tata Steel 13 km outside Jamshedpur, at the foothills of the lovely Dalma hills, or to the lush green Jubilee Park in the heart of the city that is lit up in many hues when the sun goes down. There is much here to commend.

A recent study commissioned by the Union urban development ministry has ranked Jharkhand among the worst states in India in terms of sanitation. However, Jamshedpur and Bokaro figure among the 50 cleanest cities of India. Of the 423 cities surveyed across the country, the former ranks 7th and the latter 48th. Ranchi, the state capital which was until 1967 the summer headquarters of Bihar, is placed a lowly 118th on the list.

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Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009