MC begins efforts to improve city’s ranking

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 23

The Municipal Corporation has initiated efforts to improve the ranking of the city in the Swachh Survekshan ranking list 2018 of the central government. Teams of the central government will visit the city on January 4 in this connection.

Government officials would observe various components by conducting a survey. The teams will get officials records and a self-declaration by the MC. They will visit the city to observe cleanliness and take feedback of residents.

There are several components of Swachh Survekshan ranking, including the solid waste management system, free of open defecation, door-to-door collection of garbage, segregation of garbage and general cleanliness.

The city has been placed at the 258th position in the Swachh Survekshan 2017 (cleanest cities of India list). Dr Raju Chown, Municipal Health Officer, said, “We are making efforts to improve the ranking of the city. All the MC staff is working round the clock. Several new schemes have been implemented in the city. Apart from upgrading the infrastructure, we are making the public aware about keeping their city neat and clean”.

Talking about the challenges, the MHO stated that the city was deprived of a garbage processing plant.

Following a dispute over land for the dumping ground and solid waste management plant, the MC is collecting the garbage, but is not able to process it. The officials are worried that the central government teams will not be satisfied with the status of the solid waste management in the city.

Moreover, the door-to-door collection is not being conducted in the inner city areas. Due to narrow streets, the infrastructure for garbage collection is also insufficient.

The officials are satisfied with the feedback of city youth. “We have visited several colleges in the city and found that youngsters in the city are keen to make the city neat and clean,” they added