Clean sweep: Kochi leads Kerala, ranks 50th nationally
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When the rankings were introduced in 2015-16, Kochi stood at 5th place, though only 20 cities were evaluated at the time. As more cities were included in the list in 2016-17, Kochi's rank slipped to 55th and continued to decline, reaching a low of 416th in the most recent previous survey.
The city's improved performance is attributed to enhanced waste management efforts, especially at the Brahmapuram solid waste treatment plant, where biomining is in its final stages.
Proper waste removal and treatment have played a key role in the city's comeback.
In this year's survey, Kochi was ranked 50th nationally in the 'Big Cities: 3–10 Lakh Population' category. Rankings were determined through citizen feedback, evaluation of waste treatment infrastructure and direct field inspections. These covered cleanliness, urban beautification, organic and inorganic waste management and wastewater treatment.
"For the first time since the launch of Swachh Survekshan, a city from Kerala has reached the top 50 nationally," said mayor M Anilkumar. "This is a significant achievement, but we must remember that 49 cities are still ahead of us. Our goal is to reach the top, and with the full operation of the CBG plant at Brahmapuram, we can make greater strides."
However, despite this progress, Kochi is the only municipal corporation in Kerala yet to be declared a 'clean city' under the Malinya Muktha Nava Kerala project launched by the state govt.
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This puts a question mark on the achievements of clean city Kochi.
"While we rank highest in the state and have improved nationally, we still haven't been officially declared a 'clean city'. All other corporations and municipalities in Kerala have achieved this status," said MG Aristotle, secretary of the UDF parliamentary party in the Kochi Corporation. "This clearly shows Kochi still has work to do."
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