Karnataka CM lauds Mysuru for top rank in cleanliness

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday lauded Mysuru for securing the top rank in cleanliness according to the union urban development ministry.

"I am very happy to learn that Mysuru ranks No.1 in the country in cleanliness. I congratulate its citizens and the civic body for maintaining cleanliness of high order," Siddaramaiah said in a statement here.

Mysuru, 150 km from here, is the cultural capital of the state with about one million people.

The rankings, under the central government's flagship programme 'Swachh Bharat' (Clean India) were given on the basis of extent of open defecation, solid waste management, septage management, waste water treatment, drinking water quality, surface water quality of water bodies and mortality due to water-borne diseases.

Siddaramaiah, who hails from Mysuru, exhorted its people to ensure their historic city would retain the ranking and be a model city for others to emulate.

"The ranking will boost the global image of Mysuru, which is known the world over for its famous 10-day Dasara festival every year. A great responsibility lies with its citizens to keep the city clean and green," the chief minister said.

As the second largest city in the southern state, Mysuru is also a top tourist destination as a city of royal palaces and temples.

"Mysore (Mysuru) city in Karnataka has topped the rankings of 476 cities in the country with three more (Bengaluru, Hassan and Mandya) from the state figuring in the top 10," the union ministry said in a release earlier in the day.

The chief minister also expressed happiness that Bengaluru, Hassan and Mandya in the state ranked fifth, sixth and seventh in the top 10 cities for cleanliness.

The survey conducted during 2014-15 was commissioned by the urban development ministry as required under the National Sanitation Policy of 2008.

According to the rankings, Bengaluru leads the list of capitals while Patna came at the bottom at 429.