Amritsar MC reviews preparedness for Swachh Survekshan 2025-26

With the upcoming Swachh Survekshan 2025–26 in focus, the Municipal Corporation Amritsar held a high-level review meeting under the chairmanship of Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill here today. The meeting was convened to assess the city’s preparedness and to chalk out a strategy for improved performance in the national cleanliness survey being conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U).

Addressing the meeting, the Commissioner said that since its launch in 2016, Swachh Survekshan has evolved into the world’s largest urban sanitation survey, with 4,589 cities participating in its latest edition. He noted that the forthcoming survey would place special emphasis on outcome-based indicators, including citizen participation, efficiency in service delivery and the sustainability of sanitation systems.

Shergill directed all concerned departments to ensure 100 per cent compliance with the prescribed Swachh Survekshan parameters. He laid particular stress on visible cleanliness, segregation of waste at source, door-to-door garbage collection, scientific processing of solid waste, remediation of legacy dump sites, sewage treatment, reuse of treated wastewater and effective faecal sludge management. He also underlined the importance of regular and accurate updates on the Management Information System (MIS), stating that MIS data would be subjected to citizen feedback and third-party verification prior to final rankings. The Commissioner further instructed officials to strengthen inter-departmental coordination, ensure effective implementation at the ground level and maintain a robust monitoring mechanism. Emphasising citizen engagement, he asked officials to actively involve residents through digital platforms, social media, traditional media and ward-level awareness programmes, encouraging them to participate in the survey process and provide feedback.

It was also informed during the meeting that MoHUA would hold virtual review meetings with states and urban local bodies to brief them on survey procedures and expectations. The Municipal Corporation Amritsar will actively participate in these interactions to align city-level initiatives with national benchmarks.However, the performance of the newly hired solid waste management company is yet to review. Despite assurances by the Municipal Corporation to streamline garbage collection across the city by December 31, the agency has failed to ensure regular waste collection in all wards, posing a challenge to the city’s cleanliness goals ahead of the national survey.