RMC targets better spot on Swacch list

RANCHI: Ranchi Municipal Corporation is leaving no stone unturned to secure a better rank at Swachh Survekshan 2018, which scheduled to begin on January 4. Ranchi is among the 4,000 cities across the country participating in the survey. In Swachh Survekshan 2017, Ranchi was 117th in the list of 450 participating cities.

Municipal commissioner Shantanu Kumar Agrahari said, "We need the participation of the people to help the city get a better rank. We are organising various competitions like Swachh Mohalla, Swachh School, Swachh Hospital and others so to ensure the public's participation."

The city will be awarded marks out of 4,000 on three parameters - 1,400 each for documentation and citizen feedback and 1,200 for direct observation. The various points covered includes collection and transportation of garbage, processing and disposal, sanitation (including ODF status), capacity building, download of Swachhta app and more.

Agrahari said, "We have been given a target of getting 23,400 Swachhta app downloaded and we have already reached the 20,000-mark. However, just downloading the app is not enough. We would request the citizens to send in their complaints through the app and we will try resolving them within 12 hours. This app is directly monitored by the Centre, so they will monitor our work directly and assess us."

The city has already been declared open defecation free and the target of toilet construction has been achieved by RMC. However, garbage disposal is a major issue in the city and this could lead to the civic body losing marks as the work has been outsourced to a private company, but nothing has been done yet. "Because we have already given the work order, we will get 40 out of 60 marks allotted on this ground," the municipal commissioner said.

The commissioner claimed that the centralised decomposing system is being installed at all the places that generate garbage in bulk and RMC is hoping to score good marks on this aspect. Installation of twin dustbins in commercial areas of the city will also begin soon. "We have identified 38 commercial areas on 16 roads across the city where twin dustbins will be install at a distance of every 500 mts. We request the citizens to use these dustbins," Agrahari said.