Swachh survey 2019 to focus on public participation, sanitation

TRICHY: With Trichy being officially named as the cleanest and most liveable city in the state, responsibility of the civic body to improve its position in cleanliness index has increased with the expectations of residents. As the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently introduced weightage and target parameters of Swachh Survekshan 2019, the pan India cleanliness survey is to focus on citizen participation and sanitation sustainability as key factors for grading cities in the ensuing survey.

Ever since Trichy secured rank 3 in the first Swachh Survekshan 2016, both the civic body and residents have been taking the survey earnestly to improve the city’s position. For Swachh Survekshan 2019, MoHUA has revised the weightage in each category. While the previous surveys had only three categories namely service level progress (SLP), direct observation, and citizen feedback, the ensuing survey has added certification as a new category. Similarly, while the previous survey was conducted for a total of 4,000 marks, SS2019 will be conducted for 5,000 marks. In the certification category, emphasise would be given to grading open defecation free (ODF) status of the cities by an agency deputed by MoHUA in three stages to ensure whether sanitation is sustained.

Even through Trichy was declared as ODF in December 2016, SS2019 will ascertain whether the city is completely covered with individual and community toilets and their maintenance and patronage. "We have constituted a team to prepare calendar of activities focusing on the weightage given to SS2019. All aspects of the survey will be fulfilled to improve our ranking," Trichy corporation commissioner, N Ravichandran, said. Emphasis will be given to citizen participation in the ensuing ranking by MoHUA to ascertain whether the ranking has fanned behavioural changes among residents. Five modes of feedback will be collected by an agency to be entrusted by Swachh Bharat Mission to grade the performance of the urban local bodies among residents. Citizen feedback and citizen participation were altogether given 1,250 marks. The survey will be carried out between January 4 and January 31, 2019.

The previous cleanliness survey ranked Trichy at 13th spot much to the disappointment of residents and officials.

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