NDMC, EDMC in bottom 10 in Swachh ranking; SDMC retains 31st spot

Two of the three municipal corporations in Delhi have finished in the bottom 10 among 48 cities of the country in a specific category of the government's cleanliness survey, results for which were announced on Saturday.

While the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has ranked 45, down from its 43rd position among 47 cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2020, East Corporation stood at 40th position in the 2021 survey, while the South Corporation remained on 31st slot as in the previous survey.

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation has marginally improved its position, as it was ranked 46th in the last survey.

The three municipal corporations in Delhi have been ranked in the category of cities with a population of over 10 lakh.

Delhi Cantonment Board ranked third in the 2021 survey in the cantonment boards category.

Indore was adjudged India's cleanest city for the fifth time in a row in the central government's annual cleanliness survey.

The second and third positions in the 'cleanest city' category of the 'Swachh Survekshan Awards, 2021' were secured by Surat and Vijayawada, respectively.

Patna has been ranked 44th in this category spanning 48 cities which participated in the exercise.

The poor performance of the corporations in Delhi in the Swachh ranking 2021, comes two months after the three mayors in a joint press conference had asserted that they plan to make the city "garbage-free" in a few months time.

All three civic bodies had undertaken a slew of activities in the past of one year, seeking to improve their ranking in the Swachh Survekshan.

In 2019, the EDMC was certified as 'Open Defecation Free' and in 2020, it had achieved 'ODF+' status.

In April, EDMC Municipal Commissioner Vikas Anand had said that the corporation was making special efforts for the maintenance of public toilets, community toilets and dhalaos of the area.

North Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh on August 13 had launched a GPS-driven mobile application 'Clean City' that allows residents of the area to register complaints related to picking of garbage by designated vehicles.

The app was launched ahead of the 75th Independence Day.

Varanasi has been adjudged the "cleanest Ganga town" in the survey announced by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

Chhattisgarh has been adjudged India's cleanest state.

President Ram Nath Kovind gave away awards to winners on Saturday.