Single Star in Garbage Free City Rating, 87th Rank in Survey: Hubballi-Dharwad Performs Poor in Swachha Sarvekshan
Hubballi: In the latest Swachha Sarvekshan-2023 rankings, the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad have landed at the 87th spot among 446 cities in the category with a population of over one lakh. This placement reflects a concerning trend as the cities have slipped down the cleanliness rankings, prompting questions about the efficacy of civic hygiene efforts.
The twin cities scored 6,154 out of 9,500 marks, pointing towards a substantial gap in meeting the cleanliness benchmarks. Although maintaining the tag of open defecation free (ODF), Hubballi-Dharwad upgraded to ODF++. However, the sole star in the garbage-free city star rating raises eyebrows regarding waste management practices.
On the national level, the top spot was jointly secured by Indore and Gujarat, with Navi Mumbai claiming the third position. This stark contrast in performance underscores the need for a reevaluation of sanitation strategies within Hubballi-Dharwad.
Karnataka saw participation from 311 local bodies in the survey, and the disappointing performance of Hubballi-Dharwad is evident as it retained the 2nd position from the past two years. This stagnation in progress raises concerns about the commitment to improving civic hygiene and cleanliness practices in the region.
While being open defecation free is a commendable achievement, it is crucial to recognize that overall cleanliness involves a multifaceted approach, including waste management, public awareness, and community involvement. The single star in the garbage-free city star rating suggests that there is ample room for improvement in waste disposal and collection systems.
Local authorities need to address these shortcomings urgently and implement corrective measures to elevate the cities’ standing in future cleanliness assessments.
The 87th position in Swachha Sarvekshan-2023 serves as a wake-up call for Hubballi-Dharwad to reevaluate and revamp their cleanliness initiatives.
