The Times of India 10.12.2018
BMC rates itself three out of seven on cleanliness and sanitation
Richa Pinto | TNN | Dec 10, 2018, 09:32 IST
The BMC
has given itself just three out of a possible seven stars on a
self-assessment of the city’s cleanliness—a requirement for the
forthcoming Swachh Survekshan, according to a senior official. The
selfrating is based on parameters including door-to-door garbage
collection, waste segregation, presence of litter bins, user charges,
grievance redressal, and cleanliness of water bodies. This assessment gets 25% weightage in the overall survey, which is carried out by the Centre (see graphic).
In 2017, the city slipped 19 places to rank nationally at 29 in
Swachh Survekshan. In 2018, Mumbai did better by 10 places and was also
declared to be the cleanest state capital—a declaration that was called
into question by activists and experts; in comparison, Navi Mumbai was
ranked 9 and Pune 10.
A BMC official said preparations are on in full swing as the survey is set to be held next month. “The survey this year will carry a total of 5,000 marks as compared to 4,000 marks in Swachh Survekshan 2018. We have already begun chalking out the marks the city may score as per our current situation and where is it that we need to improve ourselves for better marking. This year, with the plastic ban having started across the state, including Mumbai, and also with an emphasis on segregation, we hope to score better. We have also started the process for the scientific closure of the Mulund dumping ground and are therefore hoping that we are able to score there as well,” the official said.
A BMC official said preparations are on in full swing as the survey is set to be held next month. “The survey this year will carry a total of 5,000 marks as compared to 4,000 marks in Swachh Survekshan 2018. We have already begun chalking out the marks the city may score as per our current situation and where is it that we need to improve ourselves for better marking. This year, with the plastic ban having started across the state, including Mumbai, and also with an emphasis on segregation, we hope to score better. We have also started the process for the scientific closure of the Mulund dumping ground and are therefore hoping that we are able to score there as well,” the official said.
The survey will be conducted across the country from January 4-31 by teams from the Quality Council, which has been assigned the work by the Union ministry for housing and urban affairs.
TIMES VIEW: Mumbai has been witness to a series of citizen-driven cleanliness campaigns in recent years. That its Swachh Survekshan rank has fallen since the first instalment of the survey goes on to prove that the BMC hasn’t kept pace with Mumbaikars in its drive to keep the city clean. While its waste segregation and disposal initiatives are laudable, the civic body must pull itself up by the bootstraps on most other counts, including sanitation.
Top Comment
I give 7 star to BMC for honesty.But yes i had to visted 7 times to BMC office to register my marriage(created unnecessary nuisance for me, the reason better known to them)Mahendra Gupta