NEW DELHI, July 3: The Delhi Cantonment
Board has stepped up waste management and beautification efforts as it seeks to
improve its position in the 'Swachh Bharat' ranking to unseat Mysuru, which had
topped it last year.
"We have initiated several measures to spruce up and beautify the
cantonment area and are aiming for a zero-waste policy for proper waste
management. We are also working on rejuvenation of water bodies," CEO,
Delhi Cantonment Board, B Reddy Sankar Babu said.
The Delhi cantonment area is spread over 10,791.88 acres and, as per 2011
Census, its population stands at 1,10,351.
The DCB was ranked 15th in the 'Swachh Bharat' survey released in August last
year finishing one position ahead of posh New Delhi Municipal Council.
Greater Mumbai stood at a lowly 140, while the Municipal Corporation of Delhi
figured at 398.
"As part of our policy, horticulture waste is being processed into
bio-fuel and liquid waste would be separately processed for which plants are
being set up. We have over 50 parks and gardens under our jurisdiction and in
the past few months we have also installed 33 iron-made gazebos across the area
for shelter and ornamental purposes," Babu said.
The DCB collects 70 tonnes of garbage from 17,700 houses every day. It has
installed 45 fixed dustbins and 400 mobile dustbins for waste collection
besides running 16 vehicles for it.
"We are 15th at present but we want to improve our services and aesthetic
look of the area and compete right with Mysuru on top. So, four natural water
bodies would be rejuvenated as part of our overall plan to improve civic
amenities and the look and feel of the area.
"We have twice won an award from the Raksha Mantri for maintaining
cleanliness in our area and we hope to measure up to and beat Mysuru
Corporation in the 'Swachh Bharat' ranking," he said.
As part of its sanitation drive, the Board had recently appointed Lok Sabha MP
Meenakshi Lekhi as its 'Swachh Bharat' brand ambassador and launched a mobile
app 'Samadhan' to address sanitation-related grievances.
"Cantonment Board has performed and it's evident in its ranking as much as
in the improved look of the surroundings.
We have to keep this momentum going and go for the top position.
"I also hope that the board would be able to offer the best pilot on waste
management policy to the Centre, where no garbage or waste would go to landfill
but be recycled as fuel or some other material," Lekhi had said.
The Delhi Cantonment was established in 1914 and till February 1938, the
Cantonment Board Delhi used to be known as Cantonment Authority. The area houses
some of the crucial military assets of the country.
-PTI
