NDMC ranks 7th in Swachh Survekshan
Anshita Mehra
New Delhi, January 11
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has clinched the seventh spot in the All India Clean City ranking during the Swachh Survekshan Awards-2023.
The event held in New Delhi was hosted by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The NDMC secured a 5-Star Garbage Free City ranking and was also certified as a Water Plus City. Besides, it was ranked as the cleanest city among the Union Territories with a population of more than one lakh persons.
New Delhi municipal council’s Key initiatives
- The success of the NDMC was attributed to its various campaigns such as the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) campaign, Plastic-Free City campaign and awareness drives regarding waste segregation
- Students & employees in schools, offices, markets & hospitals were encouraged to contribute their unused belongings that could be beneficial to others
- Stalls were set up for this purpose at prominent city parks like Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Central Park in Connaught Place
- Besides smart public toilets, pink toilets and third-gender toilets, the installation of cleanliness feedback tablets in washrooms earned the council additional points in the survey
NDMC chairperson Amit Yadav said the council’s remarkable progress was highlighted by its rise from the ninth position in the previous year edition of the awards to the seventh spot this time.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) found itself at the 90th position, with a mere 59 per cent score in the sanitation survey. The Delhi unit of the BJP criticised AAP-led MCD for the allegedly unhygienic condition of public toilets in its areas.
The eighth edition of the Swachh Survekshan was centred on the theme, Waste to Wealth for Garbage Free Cities.
The success of the NDMC was attributed to its various campaigns conducted under the ‘Swachh Bharat’ initiative. Key initiatives among these included the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (RRR) campaign, Plastic-Free City campaign and various awareness drives for the segregation of waste.
As part of the RRR campaign, the NDMC encouraged students and employees in schools, offices, markets and hospitals to contribute their unused belongings from home, which could be beneficial to others. Stalls were set up for this purpose, providing a platform for individuals to donate and promote the ethos of reducing waste and fostering a culture of reusing articles within the community.
These drives are still ongoing at prominent city parks like Lodhi Garden, Nehru Park, Talkatora Garden and Central Park in Connaught Place. The council’s strategic focus on these campaigns is said to have contributed significantly to its positive ranking.
A key factor in the NDMC’s success was its sanitation efforts, especially the maintenance, hygiene and services of smart public toilets. Besides pink toilets and third-gender toilets finding a special mention, the installation of cleanliness feedback tablets in public washrooms earned the council additional points in the survey.
