Patna Breaks New Ground: Nominated for Garbage-Free City Award in Swachh Survekshan 2023

PATNA – In a significant achievement, Patna has been nominated for an award in the “Garbage-Free City” (GFC) category for the first time in Swachh Survekshan 2023. Alongside Patna, Supaul in Bihar has also secured a spot in this category. The results of Swachh Survekshan 2023 are set to be declared on January 11, 2024, with the Patna Municipal Corporation team slated to participate in the award ceremony organized in Delhi.

This marks the inaugural acknowledgment for the Patna Municipal Corporation, reflecting its commendable efforts under the guidance of the state government to secure a distinctive position in cleanliness. The recognition is attributed to the collective dedication of the Mayor, public representatives, Municipal Commissioner, Municipal Corporation officials, brand ambassadors, and sanitation workers, who actively participated in a special campaign initiated under the Mayor’s leadership.

The “Operation Chakachak” campaign, executed by dividing the wards into 19 zones, commenced on March 26, focusing on intensive cleaning of roads through mechanized sweeping machines and other equipment across all 75 wards. Nineteen dedicated teams were formed to cover different wards, ensuring the success of this endeavor.

Several initiatives, such as the elimination of 658 garbage-sensitive points, identification and cleaning of garbage points, along with the organization of events like Chuda, Rangoli, New Year, Deepotsav, and health camps, contributed to Patna’s cleanliness goals.

The Municipal Corporation is actively engaged in new experiments for the ongoing cleanliness survey, including the installation of CCTV cameras on roads to identify road violations, the “My Road My Responsibility” campaign assigning road responsibilities and publishing names and mobile numbers, and the “My City My Responsibility” program, recognizing 650 free garbage vulnerable points (GVPs) by the monitoring committee and honorable councilors.

Additionally, the identification and repair of 2121 manholes through walking tours, the operation of a 24×7 Combat Cell (155304) with personnel working in 3 shifts, and the introduction of a WhatsApp Chat Bot (9264447449) further demonstrate Patna Municipal Corporation’s commitment to ensuring a clean and hygienic environment.

Apart from aligning with the Center’s Swachh Survekshan ranking toolkit, PMC is actively working on a city-centric innovative plan to garner additional points. Eminent faces from Patna have been enlisted as brand ambassadors for the ‘Swachhata Mission’ cleanliness campaign, emphasizing awareness about waste management practices among the local population.