Swachh Survekshan Awards: How Indore Managed to Become India’s Cleanest City for the 7th Time?

Cleanest City in India: For the seventh time in a row, Indore was voted the Cleanest City in India on January 11. The Central Government’s annual Swachh Survekshan Awards have been won by Indore for the previous seven years. The interesting thing to note is that Indore was ranked 25th when this award was first rolled out in 2016. The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has the responsibility to choose the top position of cleanest city with two criteria: citizen feedback and field assessment. Let us know how Indore has been getting the cleanest city awards for the last seven years.

Cleaning Initiatives By State Government

In 2016, Indore spent Rs 2.3 crore to install 3,000 dustbins in the city. In addition, approximately 1,000 free dustbins were distributed to vehicle drivers in the city to prevent them from throwing garbage on the road. The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) also distributed dry and wet dustbins throughout the city, employing 8,000 new cleaners. According to PTI, 692 tons of wet waste, 683 tons of dry waste, and 179 tons of plastic waste are reportedly collected from Indore every day. A 2016 treatment plant helps to fully compost the wet waste, and the IMC sells the dry waste after it has been fully composted. To raise awareness among the public about the importance of not throwing garbage anywhere, the IMC has also implemented a fine of Rs 250 to Rs 500 for throwing waste in the open.