Shillong, Jul 21 (PTI) Shillong has earned the title of ‘Promising Swachh Shehar of State/UT’ under Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 Awards, marking a remarkable turnaround in the city’s urban sanitation journey, officials said on Monday.
The Meghalaya capital had been trailing in national rankings for years before emerging as a frontrunner this year.
The recognition was announced as part of the nationwide Swachh Survekshan initiative conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), government of India.
According to officials, the award reflects sustained efforts of the Shillong Municipal Board, along with active public participation and awareness drives that have helped improve the city’s waste management systems and sanitation standards.
Reacting to the honour, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said it reflects the state government’s strong commitment to improve.
He told PTI, “This award reflects our strong commitment to building clean, green, and sustainable urban spaces in Meghalaya. The city has shown significant improvement in key indicators such as door-to-door waste collection, processing of waste, citizen feedback, and public cleanliness.” The award marks a significant shift in Shillong’s Swachh Survekshan performance over the years. The city ranked 371st in 2021 and 348th in 2022, and was listed among the bottom-tier cities in 2023.
Despite consistently low scores in earlier surveys, the 2024-25 award reflects a marked improvement in sanitation outcomes and urban cleanliness under continued administrative and civic efforts, an official said.
The Swachh Survekshan, launched under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), is the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey and aims to foster healthy competition among cities to improve sanitation outcomes.
Shillong’s recognition is seen as a major boost for Meghalaya’s ongoing efforts to promote a cleaner and healthier environment across urban centres. PTI JOP MNB
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