ROURKELA: Sundargarh was adjudged best district in Odisha for Urban Sanitation Management in the Swachh Survekshan 2021 of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. A total of 659 districts in 13 states had participated and Sundargarh secured 57.54 marks.
Rourkela city secured 57th rank nationally in the Garbage Free City Category, competing with 372 cities with a population within 10 lakh. It also emerged as the first city in the State to bag One Star Rating under Garbage Free City Category.
In December 2020, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had launched Advanced Sanitary Management Programme for Rourkela Municipal Corporation, Birmitrapur town and mining-hit Koida and Kutra blocks.
Subsequently, the programme was also introduced in Rajgangpur town along with Hemgir, Lahunipada and Kuanrmunda blocks. The programme involves mechanised de-silting of drains, removal of dry and plastic waste from roads with suction machine and cleaning of parks with leaf blowers and mechanised sweeping.