Chandigarh gets just 3 stars in Centre’s garbage-free rating

CHANDIGARH: Chandigarh’s waste management system has got three stars in the latest garbagefree star rating released for 141 cities by the central government on Tuesday. An initiative of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, a seven-star rating is the highest, awarded to the city with a perfect waste management system.

The municipal corporation (MC) was aspiring for five-star rating this year and also planning to achieve the highest seven-star rating next year.

However, Chandigarh fell short of the target. While mayor Raj Bala Malik said the threestar rating was an achievement, MC leader of opposition Devinder Babla said, “MC must introspect why other cities not as organised as Chandigarh fared well in the ratings. The delay in waste management reforms on the ground continue to ruin city’s perspective in Swachh Survekshan rankings,” he said

MC commissioner KK Yadav said, “While city was lagging behind in waste segregation and processing, three-star can’t be underrated when just six cities got five-star rating and none so far has been rated seven stars. We will definitely try to get better rating next year.”

POOR LAST YEAR TOO

The star rating, awarded on the basis of 25 key parameters across the solid waste management spectrum, helps cities assess their progress while encouraging them to move towards a better rating, thereby improving their overall cleanliness and aesthetics.

However, Chandigarh made little progress ever since rating began in 2019, when it got only two stars. This time, it went one step up the ladder but it is not enough especially when star rating is now linked with the annual Swachh Survekshan, with 1,000 (20%) marks reserved for better garbage-free star rating.