Eight of the Andhra Pradesh's 32 urban local bodies (ULBs) that contested in Swachh Survekshan-2017 were ranked among the top 50 clean cities of the country. In the top 100 clean cities list, 16 A.P. ULBs find a place. This makes A.P. the third State with highest number of top ranking clean cities or towns in the country after Madhya Pradesh (23 cities) and Gujarat (22 cities).
According to the rankings announced by the Union Ministry of Urban Development under Swachh Bharat initiative on Thursday, Visakhapatnam was ranked third in the country. It is followed by Tirupati (9) and Vijayawada (19).
Other rankings include, Tadipatri (31) Narasaraopeta (40), Kakinada (43), Tenali (44) Rajahmundry (46), Ongole (70), Chittoor (71), Nandyala (80), Machilipatnam (83), Eluru (86), Bhimavaram (87), Guntakal (93), Tadepallegudem (97), Chilakaluripeta (107), Guntur (118), Srikakulam (119), Vizianagaram (126), Proddatur (133), Dharmavaram (149), Kadapa (154), Gudivada (156), Kavali (159), Hindupur (160), Nellore (165), Kurnool (176), Anantapur (213), Srikalahasti (214), Adoni (224) and Madanapalle (281).
None of the other south Indian States has so many contesting ULBs or those ranked in the top 100.
Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada fare well this year. Last year, Vijayawada was ranked 23rd and Visakhapatnam was ranked 5th out of the 73 cities that were surveyed.
Solid waste management, citizen feedback, independent observation by Quality Council of India were the criteria and weightages considered for ranking.
