The much-anticipated Swachh Survekshan 2025 results have been released, painting a concerning picture of urban cleanliness across India. The annual survey, conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has identified the ten worst-performing cities in terms of sanitation and hygiene standards.
The Bottom Ten: Cities Struggling with Cleanliness
According to the comprehensive assessment, the cities that ranked lowest in the 2025 survey include:
- Bihar's Gaya - securing the unfortunate last position
- Jammu & Kashmir's Anantnag
- West Bengal's Howrah
- Punjab's Pathankot
- Assam's Silchar
- Uttarakhand's Haridwar
- Maharashtra's Malegaon
- Rajasthan's Bikaner
- Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior
- Uttar Pradesh's Meerut
What Went Wrong? Key Findings
The survey evaluated cities across multiple parameters including waste management, sanitation infrastructure, and citizen participation. The poorly performing cities showed significant gaps in:
- Solid waste management - inadequate collection and processing systems
- Open defecation - insufficient public toilet facilities
- Drainage systems - poor maintenance leading to waterlogging
- Public awareness - low citizen participation in cleanliness drives
The Bigger Picture: National Cleanliness Mission
Swachh Survekshan, part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, aims to foster healthy competition among cities to improve their cleanliness standards. While many cities have shown remarkable improvement since the initiative's inception, the 2025 results highlight that significant challenges remain in certain urban centers.
The findings serve as a crucial wake-up call for municipal authorities in these cities to take immediate corrective measures and work toward creating cleaner, healthier living environments for their residents.
