Visakhapatnam shines in Swachh Survekshan-2021

Visakhapatnam: The port city stood out in a few categories in Swachh Survekshan–2021 rankings announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

The results declared on Saturday reflect the efforts made by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) officials.

In a category where 10 lakh to 40 lakh population exist, the GVMC bagged 'The best city in citizen feedback' category, where 5.77 lakh persons provided the feedback. In maintaining a garbage-free city, Vizag bagged a three-star rating.

Also, in the cleanest city rankings in Swachh Survekshan-2021, the city scored the ninth rank. The awards and certifications were presented to Municipal Commissioner G Lakshmisha, Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari and former GVMC Commissioner G Srijana in New Delhi by Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Kaushal Kishore.

Speaking on the occasion, Lakshmisha and Mayor reiterated that the awards were possible with the support of the denizens and the team of the corporation. The commitment and dedication shown by the sanitation staff have eventually led to desired results, they added.

"The State government is paying special focus on developing Visakhapatnam. In the days to come, the objective is to gain the top spot in Swachh Survekshan rankings," the Municipal Commissioner mentioned.

Meanwhile, Greater Visakhapatnam bagged a certificate for safe disposal of water along with a certificate for ODF++.

In the past two years, Visakhapatnam gained the same spot as the cleanest city in the country.

Last year, Visakhapatnam scored the ninth cleanest city in the country with a population of more than 10 lakh in the rankings. Similarly, it bagged the 17th rank among the top 25 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the country with more than 1 lakh population.