BHUBANESWAR : Despite improving its position in the Swachh Sarvekshan-2021, Capital city Bhubaneswar has yet again failed to figure among the top 100 cleanest cities in the country. Odisha, though, retained its position as 10th best State in terms of cleanliness for the second consecutive year.
As per the ranking released by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Saturday, Bhubaneswar is ranked at 144. Berhampur at 56 and Rourkela town at 57 are the only two urban areas from the State that have found place in the list of 100 cleanest cities in one to 10 lakh population category.
After securing a distant rank of 288 in 2019 and 274 in 2020, the State Capital, once adjudged number 1 smart city in the country, improved its ranking by 130 position to be placed at 144 this year in the 1 to 10 lakh population category. “We managed to better our position in spite of the fact that all our manpower and resources were focusing on containing spread of Covid-19 in the city. We will improve further and come back with flying colours,” said BMC additional commissioner Laxmikant Sethi.
Berhampur was also the lone city from Odisha to secure a Swachh Survekshan award. The city was awarded the best medium city in ‘Innovation and Best Practices’ for its rooftop rain water harvesting project carried out through cost-saving percolation pits.
Balasore at 109 and Puri at 125 also remained ahead of Bhubaneswar in the Swachh Survekshan ranking. Balasore had secured 394 rank, while Puri was ranked 299 in the Swachh Survekshan-2020. On the other hand, Silk City Berhampur that had improved its rank from 216 in 2019 to 89 in 2020, elevated its position further to 56. Rourkela town too improved its rank by 135 positions against last year.
Apart from the five cities, Cuttack secured 162 and Sambalpur 167 rank in the one to 10 lakh population category. Baripada and Bhadrak urban local bodies were ranked 202 and 261 respectively in the survey.
Mission clean
The State capital has improved its ranking this year
Odisha the 10th best State in terms of cleanliness
Berhampur ranked 56 in 1 to 10 lakh population category