Swachh Survekshan Awards and Urban Cleanliness
The Swachh Survekshan Awards ceremony, held in New Delhi on July 17, 2025, recognized Ahmedabad with the 'Swachh Shehar — Rank 1' award in the more than 10 lakh population category. This event sheds light on India's progress in urban sanitation and waste management.
Swachh Survekshan: Overview
- World’s Largest Cleanliness Survey: The ninth edition involved over 4,500 cities, a significant increase from fewer than 100 in 2016.
- Comprehensive Assessment: The survey included ten parameters such as waste segregation, collection, transportation, and welfare of sanitation workers, with input from 140 million citizens.
- Super Swachh League: Introduced as a new competitive platform for top cities, allowing emerging cities like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow to enter the clean city rankings.
Promoting Clean City Practices
- Innovative Practices:
- Indore's waste segregation into six categories.
- Surat's revenue generation from selling treated sewage water.
- Visakhapatnam's eco-park from a remediated waste site.
- Agra's transformation of a toxic dumpsite into a green area using bioremediation.
- Tourism and Cleanliness: Cities like Prayagraj were recognized for sanitation, yet India needs to boost cleanliness for better tourist experiences.
Sustainability and Future Outlook
- RRR Theme: 'Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle,' presents opportunities for job creation and self-help group empowerment.
- Waste-to-Wealth Potential: Though untapped, policy incentives could attract investors to waste-to-energy initiatives.
- Behavior Change Movement: While progress against open defecation is notable, a cultural shift against waste is crucial.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Solid Waste Management: Addressing the 1.5 lakh tonnes of daily waste is critical for urban growth hubs.
- Decentralized Efforts: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) play a vital role in effective waste management and enforcement.
- Potential for Transformation: Surat's journey from a garbage hotspot to a sanitation leader exemplifies the possibilities for other Indian cities.
The Swachh Survekshan Awards highlight significant strides and ongoing challenges in India's urban cleanliness journey, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions and sustained efforts to maintain progress.
