How Indore Became India's Cleanest City For 8th Time In A Row

Indore has retained its top position as the cleanest city in India for the eighth consecutive year. Surat and Pune were second and third. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Award on the city at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

The cities were evaluated based on 10 parameters and 54 indicators. The Centre said that the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 adopted a smart and structured approach to assess urban cleanliness. 

Here are the parameters on how they ranked.

1. Waste Management: Indore disposes of 100 per cent of household waste, which is first segregated and then fully processed. In the city, wet and dry waste are collected separately, helping with the production of compost.
2. Public Toilets: The city has a sufficient number of toilets, alleviating the problem of open defecation. Proper cleanliness is maintained in these toilets without any negligence.
3. Use of Technology in Waste Management: Indore uses advanced technologies such as a waste tracking system and CCTV to manage waste.
4. Active Citizen Participation: Indore has ensured active participation of its citizens in the cleanliness campaign. The city has educated people about the importance of cleanliness and hygiene, turning it into a mass movement.
5. Open Defecation Free City: Every household in the city has access to a toilet, and open defecation is completely eliminated. The city has achieved the status of Open Defecation Free.
6. Door-to-Door Waste Collection: Waste collection from every household prevents the garbage from piling up on the streets. 
7. Garbage Segregation + 3R Model: In Indore, the waste is segregated into different categories, such as rejected waste, which is called Attala, wet waste and dry waste. Special teams have been appointed to handle recycling, which is closely monitored by the Municipal Corporation.
8. Use of Dustbins: The city has installed dustbins every 50 meters across the city, and these bins are emptied daily. 
9. Cleaning of Roads at Night: The roads are washed and cleaned every night. Whether it's Diwali, Holi, Rangpanchami, or Ganesh Chaturthi, the city is cleaned immediately after the celebrations. Indore also holds a record for the entire city being cleaned within five hours of Rangpanchami festivities.
10. City Beautification: The artists depict the Indian culture on walls and enhance the city's image. 

This year, Noida has emerged as the cleanest city in the 3-10 lakh population category, New Delhi in the 50,000 to 3 lakh population category, Vita (Maharashtra) in the 20,000 to 50,000 population category, and Panchgani in the less than 20,000 population category.