BHUBANESWAR: Even as Bhubaneswar has managed to better its position in Swachh Survekshan 2020 ranking released on Thursday, the lowly 233 rank among 382 cities having one to 10 lakh population speaks volumes about lack of basic civic amenities in the most populous city of the State. The Smart City, which had been ranked no-1 in 2016, slipped to 94 in 2017; 243 in 2018 and 288 in 2019. Worse, the city is in 5th position among the nine urban local bodies of Odisha that have been ranked under the survey. Berhampur, Rourkela, Baripada town and Cuttack are in better position compared to Bhubaneswar.
The survey has shed light on the city’s need to improve its solid waste management system, prevent open defection and comply to various parameters of Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.Of a total of 1,500 marks in Garbage Free City (GFC) and ODF category, the civic body has received less than 300. It has secured less than 400 marks in Swachh Survekshan league and service level progress category where the total mark is 1,500.
Sources said the city lost the marks to lack of adequate facility for solid waste management. After the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) plan to construct a waste-to-energy treatment plant at Bhuasuni on the city outskirts failed last year, the civic body decided for bio-mining the waste. The work, however, is yet to start. Besides, for better management of solid waste, it planned 43 Micro Composting Centres(MCC) in different locations covering the entire city last year. Not a single MCC has been made operational, though the civic body had planned to set up at least 17 MCCs in the first phase by March.
Similarly, BMC in January claimed ODF++ status for the city. The Centre in its survey, however, has put it in the recertified ODF category only. Plans of 60 e-toilets, imposing fine for open defecation and polythene ban have so far remained a non-starer. Of the 2,257.64 marks awarded to it, the civic body has scored a little over 800 in direct observation and around 800 more in citizens feedback and Swachhta app category.
An official from the civic body said marks were also deducted as the BMC couldn’t ensure public feedback through Swachhata app. While officials of the civic body’s sanitation wing said operationalisation of MCCs is expected to begin by the next survey, BMC deputy commissioner Subhendu Sahoo informed that bio-mining process will also start soon.