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Garbage piles, foul air: Chennai ranks 38th in Swachh Survekshan cleanliness survey

Garbage piles, foul air: Chennai ranks 38th in Swachh Survekshan cleanliness survey

India Today22-07-2025
In the Centre's annual Swachh Survekshan survey, Chennai has been ranked a low 38th in terms of sanitation, cleanliness, and hygiene. The survey assessed cities on parameters like functional toilets with water supply, garbage-free surroundings, proper disposal of sanitary, biodegradable, and plastic waste, and measures to tackle water-logging.Reacting to the ranking, Chennai Mayor Priya told India Today, 'We have a huge population in Chennai. Everyone must take the responsibility to keep the city neat and clean.' She added that new garbage pick-up vehicles for Zones 9 to 15 were launched on Monday to improve door-to-door collections and clean up beach areas.advertisementChennai generates nearly 6,500 tonnes of garbage daily. While Kodungaiyur and Perungudi remain the official landfills, unofficial dumping has mushroomed in empty plots, riverbanks, and roadside corners, particularly in Nolambur, Ambattur, Pallikaranai, Korattur, Ennore, Madhavaram, and parts of Nungambakkam and Choolaimedu.
An India Today reality check in Nolambur and Nungambakkam revealed uncollected garbage at multiple sites. In Nolambur, the riverside road has deteriorated into a pigsty, swarming with stray animals and emitting a foul stench despite several apartment complexes lining the stretch. Overflowing bins and scattered trash make the air unbearable for residents.On Chanakya Road, near an educational institution, piles of construction waste lie unattended, stagnant water mixes with plastics and food scraps, and an adjacent empty plot used as a dumping point overflows daily. A polytechnic college next to the site sees students complain of the smell seeping into classrooms.Even prime localities like Nungambakkam are not spared. A residential street in the heart of Chennai was strewn with garbage until Greater Chennai Corporation collectors arrived only by 12:30 pm, leaving residents to endure the mess all morning.
While the city administration promises better collection measures, the Mayor stressed that civic responsibility also lies with the public to maintain cleanliness in the city.- Ends
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  • India Today

Plantation drive, roadside reservoirs: How Madhya Pradesh PWD is thinking green

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China's ‘Super Dam' isn't a threat to Brahmaputra flow, analysis finds

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