Nagpur: Babus of Nagpur Municipal Corporation are on their toes as a team of central observers arrived in Nagpur on Thursday for Swachh Survekshan 2022 and started inspecting the level of cleanliness in the city.
The NMC is optimistic about improving its ranking under Swachh Survekshan this year. The team collected data from the civic body and inspected various parts in the city. Swachh Bharat Survekshan was launched by the Central Government in the year 2015. In the first year, a survey was conducted in 476 cities in which Nagpur stood 256th.The next year, the survey was restricted to 73 cities and the Nagpur City finished 20th.
NMC’s performance in Swachh Bharat Survekshan in 2021 was very dismal. It slipped from 18th position in 2020 to 23rd last year. This year, Swachh Bharat Survekshan will carry 7,500 marks, divided between three different components — service-level progress (SLP 3,000 marks), certification (2,250) and citizens’ voice (2,250 marks). Service-level progress also includes documentation, segregated collection, procession and disposable, sustainable sanitation and ‘safai mitra suraksha’.
Under the certification category, NMC has already attained open defecation-free city Plus Plus certificate. This time, NMC will also be vying for certification in Water Plus Plus for reusing treated sewage water and garbage-free city. Under citizens’ voice category, the central team will check at least five major parameters comprising citizens’ engagement in app-based complaint method and their feedback. The team will also observe solid waste management systems being implemented in the city.
The survey is conducted in 500 cities across the country and hence, it is difficult for big cities like Nagpur, with a population of over 25 lakh, to compete with small towns that have a population of just 1 lakh and above. Nagpur ranked 137th out of 434 cities surveyed in 2017, while in 2018, it stood 55th out among the 100 cities covered under the Sarvekshan. The city’s worst standing, so far, came in the year 2019 when it stood 521st among 4,000 odd cities. However, in 2020, Nagpur city improved its performance and was ranked 18th in the Swachh Survekshan. Despite efforts taken by the administration to make the city garbage-free and clean, Nagpur slipped from 18th to 23rd position in 2021. Nagpur scored 3,721 marks out of 6,000 with 62.03 scoring percentage. In 2020, the city had scored 72.4% with 4,345 marks out of 6,000.
The Swachh Survekshan is divided into two groups of cities — 1 lakh to 10 lakh population category and above 10 lakh population category. Nagpur comes in the above 10 lakh category. Out of 48 cities having population above 10 lakh, Nagpur, now, stands at 23rd position.
