Swachh survey: Indore civic body on cleanliness overdrive

Ahead of Swachh Survekshan–2017, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has put cleanliness drives, sanitation and solid waste management on utmost priority. All corporation officials and staff were asked not to take leave until the survey is done.

Ahead of Swachh Survekshan–2017, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has put cleanliness drives, sanitation and solid waste management on utmost priority. All corporation officials and staff were asked not to take leave until the survey is done.

IMC has put up posters in several parts of Indore to create awareness among citizens about cleanliness. (Arun Mondhe/HT photo)

Swachh Survekshan–2017 will evaluate 500 cities across India on different cleanliness parameters in January.

At a recent general meeting of the civic body, mayor Malini Gaud expressed her ambitions to secure top place.

Starting at 5 am, civic body officials, including the municipal commissioner, take to streets to check open defecations followed by door-to-door garbage collection.

IMC commissioner Manish Singh said: “Throughout the year, we had conducted meetings with businesses, students, voluntary groups, NGOs and public representatives about cleanliness drives and mass awareness campaigns. You will find a sea-change in garbage littering scenario in the city.”

He said barring a few locations, most of the places where heaps of garbage could be seen at any time of the day earlier were now clean.

Earlier, the corporation put big garbage containers at several places hoping that residents and garbage collectors will dump their waste in them.

“We had often seen that garbage is littered in the entire area near these containers. Over a period of time, the entire area stinks and it gets difficult to walk past such area. We had to get away with this,” the commissioner said.

“Hence, we decided to remove them and start door-to-door garbage collection so that the waste is not littered on roads,” he said.

The corporation has focused on strengthening public toilet infrastructure, too. Over a period of last 15-18 months, it claims to have constructed 12,110 toilets in households, renovated over 195 public and community toilets and constructed 61 new public toilets in the city.

“Securing a good position in the survey is very important as it will be taken into consideration by the Centre while allocating funds to a civic body,” a corporation official said requesting anonymity.

In Swachh Survekshan-2016, Indore secured 25th position with 1,226 out of 2,000 points.

IMC LEAVES NO STONES UNTURNED

Door to door garbage collection started in all 85 municipal wards

More than 250 garbage tipper vehicles costing about Rs 15 crore introduced in entire city for garbage collection

IMC incurs about Rs 1.25 lakh per month in every ward towards door-to-door garbage collection

If 100% user charges are appropriated, the system can generate about Rs 1.5 lakh revenue per month from every ward

Constructed 12,110 individual household toilets

Renovated 195 old public and community toilets and set up 61 new public toilets