Swachh Survekshan 2021: Ludhiana MC to conduct cleanliness competitions in city

MC had received ‘Best big city in innovation and best practices’ award in 2020; ranked 34 among 47 big cities

To improve the ranking of the city in Swachh Survekshan 2021 and for directing the officials to work on different parameters of the competitions, municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal conducted a meeting with the health branch officials at Zone D office of MC on Saturday.

MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal (centre) during a meeting to discuss Swachh Survekshan 2021 strategy with health branch officials at MC Zone D office in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Harsimar Pal Singh/HT)

Zonal commissioners, chief sanitary inspectors (CSI), and sanitary inspectors among others attended the meeting.

Apart from issuing directions to the officials, Sabharwal stated that similar to last year, competitions would be conducted between hotels, educational institutes, resident welfare associations among others and swachhta rankings will be given to motivate them to keep their premises and surroundings clean.

Sabharwal said, “The officials have been directed to work on the door to door collection of garbage, source segregation of waste and other parameters listed by the government. Directions have also been issued that there should be no delay in the lifting of garbage from the secondary dumping points.”

“The MC is also observing the working of A2Z company in running the refuse-derived fuel plant and we are working to find a solution for legacy waste. Apart from the chief sanitation inspectors and sanitary inspectors, zonal commissioners have also been asked to move in the field to inspect the working,” he added.

With the MC failing to conduct proper solid waste management in the city, the monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to impose bank guarantees on MC.

As per the information, a bank guarantee of Rs 5 lakh has been imposed for failure to complete door to door collection of waste, Rs 5 lakh for the failure of the construction of boundary wall and establishing green belt around Tajpur Road main dumpsite, Rs 5 lakh bank guarantee for failing to commence treatment of over 20 lakh tonnes of legacy waste at the main dumpsite, etc. A bank guarantee of Rs 7 lakh has also been imposed for failure in upgrading the sewer treatment plants, which is required to deal with the Buddha Nullah pollution.