Public to get calls for feedback on sanitation in Gurgaon

The survey team that is in Gurgaon as part of Swachh Survekshan 2017 will reach out to the public for feedback on Friday. It will be the real test for the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) that has been trying to cover up deficiencies on ground by embellishing the city with helium balloons and messages on cleanliness.

On Friday, over thousand citizens chosen randomly will receive pre-recorded calls from the Union ministry of urban development (MoUD) asking them for feedback on a questionnaire regarding civic facilities offered and hygiene. Residents can also give feedback online at www.swachh-survekshan.in.

Swachh Survekshan evaluates cities on cleanliness and sanitation across the country.

When citizens’ feedback was incorporated in the 2015 survey, residents had rated sanitation and cleanliness as extremely poor. This led to Gurgaon ranking 466 out of 476 cities.

The MCG remains anxious on public feedback as it carries a 30% weightage in the survey.

Public toilets, waste disposal and sanitation facilities have seen a minimal improvement since 2015. Projects such as the revival of the city’s only waste management plant at Bandhwari that has been lying defunct since June 2013 and the establishment of a construction and waste plant are in the pipeline. The city has only 39 public toilets for a population of over 10 lakh.

As per the ratings of the 2015 citizen’s feedback on sanitation infrastructure, 91% respondents were dissatisfied with the availability of basic infrastructure at public toilets. Only 11% felt that the city was always clean and only 13% residents felt they had access to dustbins or toilets within 500 metres.

On Thursday, the MoUD team finished reviewing municipal documentations and evaluated the projects completed by the civic body on waste disposal, sanitation and recycling facilities, keeping population density as a benchmark for rating. The municipal documentation holds 45% weightage for the rating.

The survey team also conducted on the spot checks to assess strategy on open defecation and integrated solid waste management, door-to-door waste collection, sweeping, collection and transportation of waste, and provisions of public, community and individual toilets.

The team visited the Bandhwari plant and points near railway lines from where open defecation was reported. They also assessed garbage collection and disposal as well as toilet provisions at the railway station, bus stand and other areas in Old Gurgaon. On the spot observation carries 25% weightage .

An MoUD official said, “We are satisfied with our findings regarding documentation and on the spot checks. The scores are being tabulated and will submit it to the Central government.”

The ratings and public feedback will be published in February.