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Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Swachh Survekshan 2024: State secures just 1 award, It was 2 last year
Dehradun: The Swachh Survekshan 2024 results were announced in Delhi on Thursday, revealing mixed outcomes for Uttarakhand. While Dehradun improved slightly in national rankings—from 68th to 62nd in the big city category—the state secured only one award compared to two last year. Dehradun, once the cleanest city in Uttarakhand, slipped to 13th position statewide. Its door-to-door waste collection dropped drastically from 96.5% to 48%, and waste processing fell from 78.5% to 27%. Dr Avinash Khanna, chief health officer, Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC), acknowledged the need for urgent improvements in waste collection, source segregation, waste processing and garbage hotspot management. In contrast, Lalkuan in Nainital district earned the state-level "Promising Clean City" award for the first time, signalling rapid progress among smaller towns. Officials highlighted that Swachh Survekshan's inclusive approach allows smaller municipalities to gain recognition and motivates further sanitation investment. Among cantonment boards, most showed slight ranking improvements except Landour, which slipped from 30th to 50th, underscoring growing waste issues in the tourist town. Nainital improved from 61st to 52nd. Statewide data revealed a decline in average door-to-door waste collection to 56.6% from 69.7%, though source segregation rose sharply from 17% to 49%, and waste processing increased from 26.5% to 40.5%. Anoop Nautiyal, founder of NGO Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, criticised state's stagnant performance after a decade of Swachh Bharat Mission, calling it "a result of systemic apathy and lack of political priority." He advocated a dedicated waste management commission (WMC) to oversee complex multi-stream waste challenges intensified by the state's heavy pilgrim and tourist influx. Rudrapur emerged as a standout performer, jumping from 417th to 68th nationally and ranking first among Uttarakhand's municipal corporations. Mayor Vikas Sharma credited teamwork, awareness campaigns and improved waste management for the progress. He said that initiatives like door-to-door garbage collection, awareness drives, technological upgrades, solid waste management and continuous monitoring played a crucial role in improving rankings. Municipal commissioner Naresh Durgapal said, "This success comes from teamwork, strategy, and public involvement. Previous accolades aside, this national recognition shows we're on the right path." Haridwar and Rishikesh showed declines. Haridwar's rank dropped from 4th to 18th among Ganga towns, with door-to-door collection falling from 93% to 70%, and source segregation from 30% to 7%. B D Joshi, an environmentalist, blamed municipal indifference and overwhelming tourist-generated waste. Municipal commissioner of Rishikesh, Gopal Ram Binwal, said, "Our performance declined in door-to-door waste collection and source segregation due to ongoing construction of our waste disposal plant. We're analysing the results and will take corrective steps." Bageshwar improved to 1,007th nationally from 3,961st, but residents remain dissatisfied, citing persistent litter and sanitation issues. Environmental activist Kishan Singh Malra said, "We cannot rely solely on the municipal body. People need to become more aware and proactive in keeping their surroundings clean." Municipal executive officer Mohammad Yameen acknowledged both challenges and progress made. "Our goal now is to reach the top 100." Overall, Lalkuan, Rudrapur, Mussoorie, Doiwala and Pithoragarh were the cleanest cities, while Ghansali, Padli Gujjar, Rampur, Piran Kaliyar and Nainital Cantonment were the dirtiest. Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 awards recognised top cities across five population segments, from over 10 lakh to under 20,000 residents. Graded out of 12,500 marks, the survey involved 14 crore citizens. This year, 78 awards were given across four categories. Starting with 73 ULBs in 2016, the survey now covers over 4,500 cities, focusing on the theme "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", using 10 parameters and 54 indicators.
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Indore Crowned Cleanest City Again; AP Shines in Swachh Survekshan Awards
Indore has once again claimed the title of the cleanest city in India for the eighth consecutive year, as revealed in the Swachh Survekshan Survey 2024-25 announced by the central government. The state of Andhra Pradesh also made a noteworthy impact, securing five awards, with the cities of Vijayawada, Tirupati, Guntur, Greater Visakhapatnam (GVMC), and Rajahmundry Municipal Corporations being recognised for their cleanliness initiatives. The awards were presented to Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister Narayana by President Droupadi Murmu, during a ceremony attended by Union Minister Manohar Lal and various state municipal officials. Minister Narayana expressed pride in receiving the prestigious awards and extended his congratulations to the officials and staff whose efforts contributed to this success. He credited Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for his steadfast commitment to the Swachh Bharat Mission, noting the implementation of monthly cleanliness programmes held on the third Saturday to raise public awareness. Minister Narayana stated that Andhra Pradesh is gearing up for future achievements in cleanliness, highlighting the importance of public cooperation and the dedication of officials. In Telangana, Secunderabad Cantonment has been recognised as the cleanest cantonment board in the state, while Hyderabad has improved its standing to a 7-star rating in the waste-free city category, up from the previous 5-star rating. The city has also maintained its status on the Promising Clean City list, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to cleanliness and sustainability.
