SDMC launches initiatives to improve cleanliness ranking

New Delhi: In a bid to improve its ranking in the Swachh Survekshan 2022, the SDMC has initiated a slew of measures including the segregation of waste at source, community composting, awareness campaigns and using scrap material for beautification of public places, officials said Tuesday.

These efforts come after the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) did not perform particularly well in the Swachh Survekshan 2021, securing 31st spot out of 48 cities in the 10 lakh-plus population category.

The SDMC has now begun waste segregation at source using waste collection management system at Dwarka's Beverley Park CGHS Society in Najafgarh Zone.

Officials said that under this programme, segregated waste will be collected from every household by an agency with the help of 'Swachh Nagar App'.

They said real time data of waste collectors will made available with the help of geo-tagging to execute the work properly.

In a statement released on Monday night, the civic body said waste collected will be used to produce good quality compost.

Dwarka Sector 22 & 23 have been identified to implement the initiative. Besides this, initiative related to Community Composting in Dwarka Sector 29 will be brought under consideration, the statement said.

In addition to this, initiative to dispose of plastic bags by cutting them in small parts and putting them in plastic bottles has also been taken in Najafgarh Zone.

Beautiful paintings have been done at walls of Dwarka Sector 29's MRF Centre to make people aware about Swachh Survekshan 2022.

In Central Zone, beautification of area near Lajpat Nagar police station is being done by using unused or abandoned tyres and the area is being developed as selfie point. Here people can get cloth bags in exchange of plastic materials.

Officials said that a 'Neki Ki Deewar' initiative has been started in West Zone's Rajouri Garden where people can donate clothes for the use of needy people.

Six waste collection points (dhalaos), which have now been closed, are being used for 'Neki Ki Deewar' initiative in the area. Another six such closed dhalaos are also being used for 'Book Bank' initiative, a SDMC official said.

Besides, the municipality has also started massive awareness campaigns such as street plays, distribution of pamphlets etc to educate public about cleanliness and waste segregation. It has also started a programme named 'Project Vikalp' in South Zone in which people are being asked not to use single use plastic.