Onus of keeping city clean also on citizens

The TMC is in the process of closing the dumping ground in Diva. File pic/Satej Shinde

Let us climb the cleanliness ladder' seems to be the message from the Thane Municipal Corporation. The civic body of the satellite city, which has witnessed a drop in its Swachh Survekshan ranking, has appointed a new consultant to help the city keep clean and climb up the ranks. Swachh Survekshan is an annual sanitation/cleanliness ranking survey. Thane's rank was 28 in 2021, which dropped to 44 in 2022.

Now there will be efforts made to improve solid waste management and efficiency in every way. We want citizens to be equally invested. Corporations can up the ante by publicising widely at which rank one's city stands and instil ambition, drive and will in people by saying we are in this together. But, it is the citizens that can help cities climb the ranking.

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For Thanekars it should be ‘operation improve ranking'. This can be done by contributing to cleanliness on an individual level. Begin by something as small as the home, and then move on to building. After that, the area immediately outside residential buildings or quarters. And then, get involved in bigger drives like lake cleaning, greening, and whatever is accessible.

While consultants and experts certainly help, the bigger input is definitely the people who have to be invested in the effort. Corporations, and not just of Thane, must make more people aware of this credible survey.

From installing legal hoardings and billboards announcing the city's ranking, to outlining how the city can move up - these steps will contribute in raising awareness among the people about how they can contribute.

Let there be a collective push as each citizen strives to improve the rankings of the place he lives in.