Ludhiana’s ranking slips to 39

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 20

As the MC has failed to improve its performance, Ludhiana slipped to rank 39, out of the 48 cities (above 10 lakh population category) in Swachh Survekshan-2021. The city ranked 7th out of 13 cities in the state.

Notably, Ludhiana had ranked 34 out of 47 cities in the Swachh Survekshan-2021 while it had also won an award of the best big city in ‘Innovation and best practices’ last year.

Though the civic body authorities and politicians often made claims to improve solid waste management, no concrete steps have been taken at the ground level to resolve various issues related to the processing of fresh and legacy waste.

In Swachh Survekshan 2021 for which the survey was conducted earlier this year, 518 small or big cities have scored more marks than Ludhiana’s score of 3229.81 (out of 6000 marks).

Ludhiana had ODF+ certification but it failed to improve its certification. A source in the MC said: “A few other cities of the state had ODF++ status but Ludhiana had only ODF+ as the sewerage treatment plants were not functioning properly. For the upcoming survey of 2022, there is a need to ensure the proper functioning of STPs, processing of solid waste and legacy waste. The MC needs to ensure management of construction and demolition waste too.”

Waste processing still being ignored

Notably, a private company, A2Z group, which used to handle solid waste management, had issued a termination notice to the MC in December 2020 and left the services in February 2021 but a new firm has not been hired for waste processing to date.

MC teams have studied the solid waste management system in Indore, Chennai, Delhi, Rajasthan and Prayagraj (Allahabad) but the waste management system has not been improved here. Waste compactors are yet to be installed at a number of sites while an open space near Old Session Courts is being turned into a big garbage dump these days.

A former councillor, Inder Aggarwal, said: “The city is ranked 39 due to negligence and poor performance of the civic body officials concerned. Without floating tenders, the garbage lifting work was allotted to benefit a private contractor. The garbage is not being lifted timely from various garbage collection points. The government should stop releasing funds under Smart City Mission when the cleanliness is being ignored here by the civic body.”

26th rank in Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge

MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal said Ludhiana ranked 26th in Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge in the country and first rank in the state. Regarding 39th rank in Swachh Survekshan 2021, the Commissioner said the sewerage treatment plants under the Rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah project were being upgraded when the survey was conducted. He said the A2Z firm had also left its services. These two were the main reasons behind rank 39, he said.

The Commissioner said they were going to set up waste to energy plant soon.

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