Bathinda has been adjudged as Punjab’s cleanest city after a gap of two years under the Swachh Survekshan 2024 conducted by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. The city has also secured the 51st position at the national level in the 50,000 to 3 lakh population category.
The Bathinda Municipal Corporation scored 9,824 out of 12,500 points in this year’s cleanliness survey with 98 per cent success in door-to-door garbage collection and 100 per cent in solid waste processing. Bathinda Commissioner Kanchan Singla received the award from Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at a ceremony in Delhi.
The survey results showed impressive performance across several categories. Bathinda scored 1,700 out of 2,500 in certification, 55 per cent in waste segregation, 99 per cent in processing of residual waste and 100 per cent in the cleanliness of residential and commercial areas. The city also got full marks for sewage water treatment and cleaning of natural water bodies. However, the score for public toilet maintenance remained at 67%, showing that there was scope for further improvement in sanitation infrastructure.
A major factor behind the city’s success was Punjab’s first solid waste processing plant, which was set up in Bathinda at a cost of ₹30 crore. This facility processes around 120 tonnes of waste daily and produces compost and refuse-derived fuel, ensuring the proper management of all the daily waste. The longstanding issue of waste lying in the dumping ground was also addressed this year, which also contributed to Bathinda’s success on the cleanliness front. The city had ranked 121st nationally and 4th in Punjab in 2023.
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