After a fall in rank in cleaning at the national level, the BMC is trying hard to improve its solid waste management through methods like deep cleaning, waste segregation at the source, cleaning toilets five times a day, and even sending officers to Indore to study the city’s successful methods. But activists are sceptical as most of these approaches have already been tried.

The BMC initiated a deep cleaning drive two months ago, but it achieved limited success at the zonal level, following which the corporation turned to a micro-level plan, with 24 locations selected that would be cleaned every weekend. In a meeting held last week by the commissioner IS Chahal, all assistant commissioners were instructed to meet every Monday to plan a deep cleaning drive in their wards. Chahal also directed them to prepare an action plan on the basis of additional manpower, participation of local public representatives, school and college students, celebrities and NGOs. He added that engineers of all departments, including transport, sewerage and stormwater drainage, should participate voluntarily.