Swachh Bharat mission: Vadodara readies for cleanliness survey

Vadodara, Jan 4: Vadodara is all set to take part in the 'Swachh Sarvekshan', a cleanliness survey of 75 major cities to begin tomorrow, senior civic officials said today.

"The Union Ministry of Urban Development has commissioned the 'Swachh Sarvekshan' to ensure cleanliness in urban areas, as part of the 'Swachh Bharat' mission," Vadodara Municipal Commissioner H S Patel said.

The survey would cover the state capitals and other cities with a population of over 10 lakh, and assess the cleanliness situation therein, through collection of data from urban local bodies, direct observation and the citizens' feedback, he said.

"The survey would collect the data on work done on the construction of household toilets and community toilets, solid waste management, garbage collection, its disposal and processing among other parameters," he said.

"While Vadodara has made significant progress in sanitation and solid waste management, it does face its fair share of challenges, such as lack of disposal sites for construction rubble," he said.

"We have planned measures for the collection of construction rubble and its disposal at a designated site in Atladara on the outskirts of the city," he said. "We have developed a site at Jambuva locality to resolve the problem of unsegregated garbage," Shailesh Mistry, city's Deputy Municipal Commissioner and in-charge of its solid waste management, said.

The Central government's 'Smart City' programme, under which 98 cities have been chosen, also features Vadodara. Patel said he is hopeful of Vadodara faring well in the survey, adding it would help the city to be included in the list of the 20 cities which would be developed in the first phase of the (Smart City) programme.

He urged the citizens to participate in the survey by giving a missed call on toll-free number 18002672777, and give an account of the sanitation problems they face. The survey would be carried out from January 5-20 by the Quality Council of India, and the results would be declared on January 25, he said.

The other cities of Gujarat which stand to be surveyed under the exercise include Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat and Rajkot, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Swachh Bharat' mission on October 2, 2014 on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 145th birth anniversary.

PTI