Hyderabad is on a fast track and is initiating different measures to add more feathers to its cap. After Open Defecation Free (ODF) ++ certification, it is now trying for the five-star city certification, which is issued for cities for being garbage-free, in the country.
Under the Swacch Bharat Mission, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched the Star Rating protocol in January 2018 to institutionalize a mechanism for cities to achieve garbage-free status, and to motivate cities to achieve higher degrees of cleanliness.
Accordingly, after the assessment year 2019-2020, six cities, including Ambikapur, Rajkot, Surat, Mysuru, Indore, and Navi Mumbai have been certified as five-Star. This apart, 65 cities were ranked as 3-Star and 70 cities as 1-Star. These results were announced in May early this year. There is a seven-star certification but no city has obtained the certification to date in the country.
In addition to the Swachh Survekshan annual cleanliness survey for urban India, the Ministry devised the Star Rating protocol for garbage-free cities. The protocol has been devised in a holistic manner including components such as the cleanliness of drains and water bodies, plastic waste management, managing construction, and demolition waste, etc. which are key factors for achieving garbage-free cities.
Hyderabad is currently ranked as an ODF++ city and has recently applied for water plus city certification. It has almost all the parameters that are required for achieving the five-star certification and they are being implemented effectively for the last few years.
There are three categories of parameters, including the mandatory, essential, and desirable that a city needs to achieve for the certification.
Under the mandatory parameter category, aspects pertaining to the door-to-door collection, segregation of source, sweeping of public, commercial, and residential areas, dry and wet waste processing, and others. In the essential parameter category, bulk waste generators compliance, penalty levying mechanism, C&D waste collection, and others are observed. In the desirable parameter category sustainability, on-site wet waste processing, dumpsite remediation, and others are checked, said an official from GHMC.
A central team will be conducting a field inspection in the next couple of months and the results are likely to be announced in May or June, the official informed.
The GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar has already issued a preliminary notification declaring Hyderabad as a five-star city and seeking objections, suggestions, or complaints, if any, before February 2. After verification of the same, a final notification will be issued.
