Punjab adjudged best in sanitation, 2 positions up

CHANDIGARH: In the Swachh Survekshan-2019 survey, where Punjab has been adjudged the best state in sanitation in north India, municipal council Nawanshahar has been declared as the cleanest city in north zone among 1,020 urban local bodies in less than one lakh population category.


Punjab’s local government minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said Punjab had got this position due to mass awareness and community mobilisation campaign launched about one year back with a strong team of about 500 community facilitators and motivators.

Swachh Survekshan is the largest survey of its kind in the world, which is conducted by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA). President Ram Nath Kovind had announced the results on March 6 and the award ceremony was organised by MoHUA in New Delhi.

Overall, Punjab ranked first in north India and seventh in the country as against ninth last year. Coming up from among the bottom 10 states in Swachh Survekshan-2017 to 9th position in Swachh Survekshan-2018, the state has improved its position to seventh this time. This year the survey covered 4,237 urban local bodies throughout the country.

Bathinda and Patiala have attained 31st and 72nd rank, respectively, in the above one lakh population category among 425 cities. Besides, Amritsar , Jalandhar, Pathankot , Abohar, Moga, Barnala, Muktsar and Batala have improved their ranking substantially over the last year. Of the 1,020 urban local bodies in the northern zone below the population of one lakh, 32 urban local bodies of Punjab are in the top 100 rank. After Swachh Survekshan-2018, as the government showed determination in its work, all 167 cities became open defecation free (ODF) and none failed in re-certification and one city attained ODF+ and two cities got ODF++ status.