VIJAYAWADA: Tirupati, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam are ranked among the top 50 cities (in more than one lakh population category) in the country in the Swachh Survekshan-2019 rankings released by Union Ministry of Urban Housing Affairs on Wednesday. Vijayawada slipped from seventh rank in 2018 to 12th this year.
Tirupati is the only city from the State which got a place in the top 10 cities. It has also become the Best Small City in ‘Citizens Feedback’ (1-3 lakh population). In the ‘garbage-free city’ category, Tirupati and Vijayawada got a three-star rating (out of seven stars).
The Swachh Survekshan Awards were presented to the respective authorities of the Urban Local Bodies by Union Minister for Urban Housing Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri at a programme held at New Delhi on Wednesday.
Since Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam municipal corporations had secured the fifth and seventh ranks in Swachh Survekshan-2018 respectively, the survey this year came as a blow to them as they slipped to the 12th and 23rd rank respectively.
Tenali municipality secured the 90th rank and Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation got the 98th rank. Since 2016, the Union ministry has been conducting the Swachh Survekshan survey to make Indian cities compete against each other in the categories of cleanliness and sanitation.
The Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) dropped by two ranks as compared to last year and got the 8th rank. Tirupati scored 4,025 marks out of 5,000 which included 1,028 marks for ‘Service-level progress’, 750 for ‘Certification’, 1,141 for ‘Direct observation’ and 1,106 for ‘Citizen feedback’ and ‘Swachhata Mobile Application’.
Vijayawada secured 3,882 marks which included 968 marks for ‘Service-level progress’, 750 marks for ‘Certification’, 1,097 marks for ‘Direct observation’ and 1,067 marks for ‘Citizen feedback’ and ‘Swachhata Mobile Application’. ‘’It is a proud moment for the people of Vijayawada.
By giving top priority to maintenance of sanitation, the municipal corporation achieved three star rating in the garbage-free city category of Swachh Survekshan-2019. We will study the results and improve our rank in the ensuing surveys,” said Mayor Koneru Sreedhar after receiving the award. On the occasion, he thanked everyone for their cooperation in getting the 12th rank in the swachh survey.