Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Of the seven divisions of Madhya Pradesh taken into account for citizen feedback in Swachh Survekshan 2024, the Bhopal division has ranked sixth with low response in the first week of the ongoing survey.

The yearly survey, initiated by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA) in 2016, aims to assess and encourage improvements in urban sanitation across the country.

This year, the survey is set to evaluate over 4,900 cities, with each city being scored out of 125,000 marks, of which 300 marks are allocated for citizen feedback. In the first week of the survey, a total of more than 2.25 lakh citizen feedback submissions were received from 378 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state.

Among the divisions, Jabalpur led with over 42,000 submissions, representing 1.66% of its population. The second position was claimed by the Rewa division, where approximately 1.57% of its population participated,followed by Indore with 1.41%, and Sagar at 1.35%.

The Ujjain division saw around 1.18% of its population submitting feedback, while the Bhopal division recorded just 1.08%, placing it in sixth position. The Gwalior division had the lowest participation rate, with only 0.49% of its population submitting feedback.

The Swachh Survekshan aims to gather input from citizens on sanitation and cleanliness in their respective cities. With a large portion of the marks dedicated to citizen feedback, active participation is crucial in determining the rankings and driving urban sanitation improvements.

BMC reaches out to public

Bhopal Mayor Malti Rai, including BMC officials, is urging citizens across all divisions to participate and provide feedback to help their cities improve sanitation standards and secure a higher ranking in the survey.

Direct officials Mayor Malti Rai has directed officials to enhance cleanliness and beauty the city, aiming to make Bhopal number one in cleanliness under Swachh Survekshan-2024.

During a review meeting on Thursday, she emphasised motivating citizens for positive feedback, improving waste management and ensuring timely garbage removal. Rai also called for better maintenance of parks, roads and public facilities like Sulabh Jan Suvidha Kendras. She instructed officers to monitor cleanliness activities closely and ensure swift action against any hindrance.