BENGALURU: To ensure that Bengaluru’s rating in the Swachh Survekshan survey improves, the state chief secretary has issued stern directions to all government agencies. At a recent high-level meeting, Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar asked the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palkie (BBMP) to pull up its socks and directed all government agencies to join hands with the civic body to clean the city.
The city ranks 194 in garbage management and Mysuru ranks 3rd. While Mysuru was declared open defecation free in March, Bengaluru was able to get this title only in December. BBMP officials admitted that they were unable to manage the city’s garbage problem, especially in terms of visual cleanliness.
“At any point of time, on every street, at least one black spot can be seen. This is an eyesore. Despite all possible measures, the black spots return. However, stern directions have been issued by the chief secretary. He has also asked all stakeholders and government departments to help. Now, to ensure that Bengaluru is clean and green, and its image of a garbage city is cleared, everyone will have to pick up a broom, be the cleanliness brand ambassador and partner with the BBMP,” said a senior BBMP official who did not want to be named.
The government officials will also have to ensure that they have waste management plants in their units and there is zero discharge. The BBMP has decided to crack down on apartment and commercial establishments in this regard.
‘Efforts on to improve B’luru’s Swachh Survekshan ranking’
He said that the officials were also tasked with becoming role models in their areas to take up cleanliness and waste management drives.BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar took to social media to announce that the civic body had set an agenda to make the city garbage-free and improve its Swachh Survekshan ranking, after it became open defecation free.
D Randeep, BBMP special commissioner, Solid Waste Management, said that the civic body is now focusing on cleaning the city and ensuring that the stormwater drains are garbage-free. “The emphasis is on adopting a street campaign and setting up ward-wise waste management units so that there is less pressure on landfills. This is not just important under the Swachh Survekshan ranking, but also as per the National Green Tribunal directions and solid waste management rules,” he said.