Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has improved its ranking to 23 in the above 10 lakh population category for ‘Swachh Survekshan’ 2020. However, it got the first rank in ‘Best Mega City in Citizen Feedback’ (above 40 lakh population) for overall performance and ahead of Greater Mumbai, Bangalore,Chennai, North and South Delhi metro cities.
While GHMC has moved from 275th rank in 2015 to 23 now, it should be interesting to note that neighbouring Andhra Pradesh has got two cities in the top 10 categories - Vijayawada is now ranked 4 while Visakhapatnam has been ranked 9.
The rankings are based on assessment of progress from January 2019 till December 2019 under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) covering 4,384 cities. Mayor B. Rammohan said the improved ranking is because of the cooperation extended by the citizens, senior officials, public representatives and the work put in by the municipal corporation staff especially the sanitation workers in the last one year.
He also claimed that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and Municipal Administration & Urban Development Minister K.T. Rama Rao have been showing keen interest in the development of the twin cities in expediting the permissions required for several projects.
The Mayor, who had earlier participated in the video-conference with New Delhi for announcement of the awards, observed that it was not an easy task in getting the ‘Best Mega City in Citizen’s Feedback award’. GHMC has also been appreciated for the implementation of innovation and best practices like installation of ‘Green Kiosks’ or street food parks, special park for dogs, twin bins for recycled plastic and feed the need. About 7,200 public toilets are under construction across the city, he added.
Medchal Municipality was selected under the Swachh Survekshan Award of the Government of India under the 25,000-50,000 population category. It was declared cleanest as well in South Zone. Medchal Municipal Chairman Deepika Narsimha Reddy and Municipal Commissioner, B. Satyanarayan Reddy thanked the Labour Minister, M. Malla Reddy and the Malkajgiri TRS parliament constituency incharge Marri Rajashekar Reddy for their continuous support in changing the face of the municipality.