Context: For the seventh year in a row, Indore has been ranked as the cleanest city in India under the Central government’s annual Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023, announced on Thursday (January 11).

Background: When the Awards first began in 2016, Indore ranked at number 25.

Swachh Survekshan:

• It was initiated in 2016 and constitutes the world's largest urban sanitation and cleanliness survey.
• Operated within the framework of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), it aims to instill a sense of healthy competition among towns and cities.
• The survey encourages widespread citizen participation, fostering awareness across society about the collective effort needed to enhance service delivery and create cleaner and more livable urban spaces.

What the number 1 ranking means

• The cleanliness measurement methodology relies on citizen feedback and field assessment.
• State governments, responsible for sanitation, enter updated data on the Swachh Bharat Mission Management Information System (MIS).
• The assessment involves validating criteria like segregated garbage collection through Citizen Validation in Residential and Commercial Areas on a sampling basis.
• On-field assessors randomly visit households/shops to record responses regarding waste collection and its frequency.
• Questions related to waste collection include assessing technical support for sanitation workers, such as the issuance of Identity cards (IDs) and provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits.

Why does Indore keep ranking as the cleanest city?

• Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) achieved consecutive success in the National Cleanliness Survey based on a sustainable garbage collection, processing, and disposal system.
• The city targeted various indicators early on and implemented measures to improve sanitation and waste collection.
• IMC terminated private contracts for solid waste collection, and the municipality took on the responsibility with new strategies.
• Routes of garbage disposal vehicles were changed to collect dry and wet waste directly from households, promoting segregation.
• NGOs were involved in raising awareness among citizens to hand over garbage to municipal vehicles for a monthly charge.
• Initially, there was resistance from local garbage collectors and ragpickers, but many were absorbed into the workforce.
• Nearly 692 tonnes of wet waste, 683 tonnes of dry waste, and 179 tonnes of plastic waste are collected daily under different categories.
• Legacy waste, accumulated over the years, was cleared and treated at the Devguradiya ground to meet Swachh Bharat criteria.
• Funds from Smart Cities Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and property tax were used to construct transfer stations and treatment plants.
• NGOs identified areas in need of urinals and toilets to tackle open defecation, and around 1,000 free dustbins were distributed to vehicle owners.
• The success is attributed to people's participation in the campaign, holding meetings and administering cleanliness oaths.
• IMC issued spot fines against littering, spitting, and open defecation, using public shaming as a deterrent to habitual offenders.

The waste management sector in India has witnessed significant growth in recent years due to the government’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, resulting in a surge in demand for waste management solutions. This will help to achieve the goal of “Clean India”.