Mumbai bags The Cleanest State Capital Title

A recent cleanliness survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has labelled Mumbai as the Cleanest state capital. According to the Swachh Survekshan 2018, Greater Mumbai has been ranked as the cleanest state capital, while Navi Mumbai has been recognised as the ‘Best City in Solid Waste Management’ category. Overall Maharashtra bagged the second spot in the state-wise ranking for cleanliness. The city has some of the best luxury apartments in India.

Mumbai, has seen a number of real estate constructions as well new infrastructural developments viz. the Metro projects over the last few years. The city has become the hub for commercial real estate in India.The metropolis city has emerged as a ‘model state’ according to the report. The results were announced by the Union Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri who states that Maharashtra as a state has been declared as Open Defecation Free (ODF).

Mumbai’s efforts in collection and transportation of municipal solid waste including segregation of dry and wet waste has helped it in securing the first place. Other markers on which the various cities were judged were processing and disposal of municipal solid waste as well as recycling of dry waste. The sanitation related progress including making the city defecation free and easy access to toilets for citizens, was also a part of the initiative.

The Maharashtra government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had increased its efforts towards urban sanitation and waste management after Mumbaicity’s rank came down from 10th position in 2016 to 29th position in 2017.

BMC’s commissioner Ajoy Mehta stated that the state’s efforts towards closure of open garbage dumps and garbage segregation has helped achieved the feat. BMC revealed that it has reduced waste creation from 9,500 metric tonnes to 7,100 metric tonnes daily. The corporation has constructed over  898 community toilets,1,690 community toilets, and 1,941 individual household toilets; and helped in promoting vermicomposting at 123 places.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has been managing the city’s solid waste which includes construction debris as well as municipal waste. Navi Mumbai segregates 88% of its municipal solid waste at source. The agency recently cracked the whip on those engaged in illegal dumping of debris. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had been supporting the efforts of municipal corporations and has even proposed a plan for recycling of construction waste.New constructions have been stopped by the Bombay High Court and it has asked the BMC to devise a debris management plan.