Swachh Survey: BBMP to unveil social media campaign

Determined to climb the Swachh Survekshan Survey rankings, the BBMP will unleash an aggressive campaign on social media and through radio jingles to galvonise citizens.

Lack of awareness about the survey has been a major issue for the civic body, besides cleanliness and toilets.

"Educating people that the city is participating in Swachh Survekshan itself carries a lot of weight and one fourth of the marks is reserved for this process," said Sandhya Narayan, member, Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT). Bengaluru was ranked 216 in the 2018 survey.

The BBMP would reach out to citizens through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and other platforms to talk about the measures it has taken like penalising those littering public areas, and appointing marshals to monitor lakes and the work of pourakarmikas, among other things.

Its officials are working to bring a media partner on board for the campaign. "Talks are going on and we'll finalise it by the end of this week," said Randeep D, special commissioner for solid waste management, BBMP.

"We will keep posting updates on the various initiatives we undertake. Some wards have progressed in certain measures like garbage segregation, while many others lag behind. We might not have succeeded in everything we do, but it is important to sensitise the public," Randeep added.

The BBMP will have a special Twitter handle for Swachh Survekshan to disseminate information. "For instance, we could say these many civic workers are cleaning in this ward and mechanical sweeping machines are working here...and so on," said Randeep.

"Everybody is a part of the system and, in a way, they are also responsible for the ranking. Every time one reads a report in the media on how the roads are littered, one should realise if he is responsible for it," he said, adding that the initiative was crucial for the city until January.

Keeping fingers crossed

* BBMP's social media campaign and radio jingles to focus on Swachh Survekshan Survey

* One fourth of the survey marks is for citizen participation

* Work for Swachh Survekshan 2019 has begun

* BBMP pins hope on social media as public advertising through flexes and banners are banned