It’s not a Clean Sweep for Thane City in Swachh Top Three List

20th May, 2018

THANE : Despite the extra efforts by the municipal corporation to beautify the city and the plethora of citizen-initiated cleanliness drives over the past year, the lake-city failed to make it to this year’s Swachh Survekshan list as one of the cleanest cities.

While Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai and even Bhiwandi made it to the top three lists under various categories of the Swachha Survekshan awards, which were revealed by the ministry of housing and urban affairs on Wednesday, the lake-city did not find any mention on the list of awardees. Citizen activists’ believe that the corporation and citizen groups have been working towards turning Thane into a zero waste city. “I have been working with the civic authorities on various sanitation and cleanliness projects over the past year and this has made me aware of the sheer amount of efforts they have put in for this cause this year,” said citizen activist Mahesh Bedekar. “Be it ensuring that the waste collection van waits till all the locals have handed over their segregated waste, motivating vendors and shopkeepers with prizes for maintaining cleanliness in the area, the TMC has taken a number of steps to improve its 116th rank this year. While it is sad that we have not secured the top three spots in any category, I have a feeling that we may have improved our ranking,” he added. Besides the top three, the other ranking list hasn’t been released yet.

However, citizens believe that even though the civic body and citizen groups have begun working towards a Swachh city, the drive needs to spread to every corner of the city, including the outskirts for the mission to succeed.

“While a few citizen groups have actively started segregating waste, this activity needs to be replicated in every pocket of the city, including slums and outskirts like Mumbra and Kalwa. If corporators take up the responsibility of their ward then Thane could rise up in the list of cleanest cities in the nation,” Bedekar said.

“The problem is that there is no fear of the law. So, people litter and flout norms, knowing well that no one is going to take any action against them. If the officials start penalising citizens for littering, defecating, urinating or even spitting in public places and ensure that no one is let off the hook by paying a small amount then the situation will change,” said Bharat A, a Pachpakhadi resident.

In addition to all these waste reduction and cleanliness measures, activists believe that the creation and use of a scientific solid waste management system is crucial for the city’s holistic transformation.

“Even if citizens segregate and reduce the overall waste they produce on a daily basis and even refrain from littering across the city, the TMC has to ensure that a scientific solid waste management plan is ready at the earliest to deal with the existing waste. If all these measures are taken up, we could beat Indore, Bhopal and Chandigarh in the Swachh Survekshan survey soon,” Bedekar added.

Even if citizens segregate and reduce the overall waste they produce on a daily basis and even refrain from littering, the TMC has to ensure that a scientific solid waste management plan is ready at the earliest to deal with the existing waste. If all these measures are taken up, we could beat Indore, Bhopal & Chandigarh in the Swachh Survekshan survey soon

 

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com