Many challenges for Nagpur municipal in Swachh survey

NAGPUR: With just two days left for Swachh Bharat team to visit in Nagpur for survey from February 26, urban development department principal secretary Manisha Mhaiskar held a review meeting with officials on Friday over Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s preparedness.
Mhaiskar, who visited four different places including Swami Vivekananda memorial at Ambazari overflow point, advised the civic body to make use of last-minute for the Swachch Bharat team.

NMC is trying hard to improve its ranking from 137 last year but many hurdles still remain. Sources said NMC may face negative marks on counts of twice-a-day sweeping in commercial areas and funds spent for garbage disposal.

Sources added the NMC was currently carrying out twice-a-day sweeping at only nine commercial areas of Sitabuldi, Netaji Market, Gokulpeth market, Gajanan Chowk-Kamla Nehru Market and Gandhi Market, Cotton Market, Mahal, Itwari, Kamal Chowk and Jaripatka. The sanitary workers sweep 19 streets in these markets that have collectively 1,964 shops.

There are other commercial areas like Central Avenue, Mangalwari Bazaar where, due to traffic and business activities since early morning, it is difficult for workers to clean the market areas twice. People park vehicles by the roadside that prevents sanitary workers from sweeping, admitted the source.

Another challenge the NMC may face is the difference between costs incurred towards sanitation and cleanliness initiatives against levied sewerage tax. The civic body’s expenditure on sanitation and cleanliness initiatives is more than the amount it recovers and this may lead to negative marks, said the source.

To overcome these shortcomings, NMC has already installed bins. It has asked All India Institute of Local Self Government to help it compile documents required for the survey.