The Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has launched a community-led cleanliness competition aimed at enhancing sanitation standards and improving the city's performance in the Swachh Survekshan rankings. The initiative was announced on Saturday by GMC officials, who stated that the competition will involve women-led committees, development committees, citizens' forums, and local clubs across the city.
Competition Details and Evaluation Criteria
Under the competition framework, community groups representing 100 to 300 households will be evaluated on various cleanliness and environmental parameters. The assessment will be conducted on a 150-point scale, covering waste segregation, drain maintenance, elimination of open garbage dumping and red spots, plantation drives, public awareness campaigns, home composting, and cleanliness of public spaces, as outlined by GMC Mayor Mrigen Sarania.
Registration and Timeline
Committees can register between June 1 and June 15. The competition will officially commence on July 1 and continue until August 31.
Cash Prizes and Incentives
To encourage widespread participation, the mayor announced cash prizes of Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh, and Rs 1 lakh for the first, second, and third positions, respectively, across GMC's six divisions. Additionally, a consolation prize of Rs 50,000 each will be awarded to other participants. An exceptionally performing committee will receive a special reward of Rs 5 lakh. All participating organizations will be provided with certificates of participation in recognition of their contribution towards building a cleaner city, Sarania added.
Appointment of Swachh Sakhis
As part of the initiative, the GMC plans to appoint nearly 1,000 'swachh sakhis', each tasked with monitoring around 300 households. The mayor stated that they will oversee waste collection practices and promote compliance with sanitation guidelines at the grassroots level.
Revised Garbage Collection Fee
Sarania also announced that the civic body will levy a garbage collection fee of Rs 30 on every household, replacing the previous practice where NGOs collected fees from some households for garbage collection services. This will help improve waste collection and sanitation services. The fee, which was previously Rs 50, has now been reduced to Rs 30, he added.
