MCC all set to regain lost pride in Swachh Survekshan

The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) tries to reach out to the citizens through schools and Resident Welfare Associations (RWA) to make it once again to the top slot in the clean cities list. Efforts are on to make the residents use Swachhata App widely to make the city cleaner.

Speaking in a meeting here on Monday, Mayor M J Ravikumar said, "All citizens should contribute to make the city a better place to live in, besides winning the top slot in the Swachh Survekshan 2018, which will begin on January 4."

"The people can post a photo of even their dustbins on the app, if the garbage collector does not turn up for a day at their doorsteps. The problem will be addressed immediately. Prizes would be given to the residents, who post complaints about their neighbours littering the surroundings," he said.

"Mysuru is a city with 2 lakh houses and a population of 13 lakh. Hence, at least 25,000 citizens should download the Swachhata App. With the intervention of the MCC, 20,000 people have downloaded the app, but the complaints received on it is just 20," he said.

"Mysuru, which was already popular as a planned, beautiful and clean city, shot to fame as it was declared as the cleanest city in 2015-16 and 2016-17 Swachh Survekshan surveys. However, due to poor response from the citizens and due to the gap in construction of toilets, Mysuru slipped to the fifth slot in 2017-18. In 2015-16 and 2016-17, 73 cities were in the competition. In 2017-18, 500 cities were surveyed. However, all the 4,041 urban local bodies across the nation are under the scanner for the 2018 survey. So, the plans are comprehensive and long-term, for maintaining cleanliness and beauty of the city," said MCC Commissioner G Jagadeesha.

He said, out of the remaining 85 toilets, 50 have already been built and the remaining would be completed before January. Stating that the drive should begin from the source level at households and other places, by segregation of wet and dry waste, the commissioner said, all nine zero waste management units across the city would be made functional for scientific disposal of garbage. "Already 1.5 lakh households have been provided with dustbins. Now, people should not expect dustbins from the MCC. They should buy their own dustbins and segregate the waste before handing over to the garbage collectors," he said.

Building debris

"An eight acre plot has been procured from the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for dumping of 'building debris' near JP Nagar on the Ring Road. Building debris is a major cause of concern. Dumping of building debris anywhere else will attract punishment and also monetary fine," he said.

Ex-MLC D Madegowda, a representative of RWAs, said, as a first step, RWAs should be formed to include all citizens of the city and, eco-clubs should be initiated in all schools within a week. "These RWAs should register at least 150 phone numbers each, within five days to install the Swachhata App. A Hasiru Senani, a Swachhata ambassador would be selected for each street in the city, to create awareness about maintaining cleanliness and beauty of the city in the neighbourhood. Making use of the new Police beat system, which touches all households in the city, the police personnel would also be roped in to create awareness among the people," he said.