Bhubaneswar, Feb. 9 -- Grappling with issues ranging from theft of motors to poor maintenance, e-toilets worth crores - commissioned under Smart City Mission - in the Capital city are now reportedly lying defunct in several places.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the modular e-toilets project ahead of the Hockey World Cup in November 2018.

As per reports, some of the hybrid toilets for which the government has spent at least Rs 18 lakh per unit, have either gone bad due to non-maintenance or their parts and machinery have been stolen by thieves.

"Just some days back, I went to the e-toilet at Kalinga Hospital Square and saw four people drinking alcohol inside it. There were food items scattered all over ...