Varanasi ranked 418 in 476 cities on cleanliness: PM Modi's 'Swachh Bharat' fails in own constituency

New Delhi: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat campaign that started a year back hasn't achieved desired goals yet.

In a recent assessment on cleanliness carried out by Union Urban Development Ministry, Modi's own constituency, Varanasi ranked 418 on a list of 476 cities.

Meanwhile, the capital is also on the bottom of the list. Delhi ranks 379 on the list while New Delhi Municipal Corporation ranks higher up, 16 on the list.

The assessment was carried out to check on open defecation and solid waste management in municipal areas. This was done by looking at three main aspects-primary data received from municipal bodies, field inspection and interacting with people on field.

They also assessed the drinking water quality, waste water management, mortality because of water-borne diseases, quality of water bodies and the status of disposal of sewage from septic tanks.

"This survey will help assess the present situation in these cities so that they can undertake necessary interventions to meet SBM (Swachh Bharat Mission) targets in urban areas," a ministry spokesperson told a newspaper daily. 

While urban areas may rank lower on the list, smaller cities like Mysore did better. "Mysore leads the cities with minimal open defecation and extensive adoption of solid waste management practises," an official statement said. 

# Photo: Mahesh Sareen