Dirtiest Cities: Srinagar ranked at 357th position, in 2017 it stood at number 241

by Ovais Gull

Srinagar: The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar was yet again listed in dirtiest Cities across India with securing rank of 357, stepping down by almost 110 ranks as compared to previous year.

The startling revelation came to fore through a survey titled ‘Swachh Survekshan – 2018’ conducted by Ministry of Housing and Union Affairs.

For the consecutive third year, Srinagar is stepping down by almost 100 ranks every year. Earlier, Srinagar was ranked at 152nd position in 2015, while as in 2017 it was ranked it at 241st position.

In the recent survey, the Srinagar has been ranked at 357^th position, putting a question mark over the functioning of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, which has been entrusted to ensure sanitation of City here.

However, the survey further reads that Srinagar has scored 1470.42 marks out of 4,000, adding that Srinagar is considered as dirties City as compared to Anantnag, Jammu and Tangmarg respectively.

Anantnag is ranked at 258^th position and has scored 2012.16 marks while as Jammu is ranked at 329^th position and has scored 1635.39 marks. It added that Tangmarg has been ranked at 335^th position and scored 1600.52.

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The survey ranked Indore, Ambikapur and Mysore at first three positions here respectively.

Pertinently, National Green Tribunal had also castigated the Jammu and Kashmir government in the past for municipal waste scattered across Srinagar.

The survey has put a question mark on the tall claims of the administration especially SMC for taking steps to make the City clean.

Meanwhile, Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Junaid Azim Matoo said that he cannot comment over the surveys as he doesn’t know on what grounds these surveys are being conducted.

However, he said “as far as SMC is concerned, since we have assumed the charge, we have tried to take the problem head on and focus on solid waste management both at the source and at the disposal end. I am not sure what surveys indicate but whatever the challenges are we will deal them and will show a visible difference in few months.”

Asked about rank, he said, “I assure that every Srinagar residents will feel and see a visible difference in coming months.”