Nashik City Achieves Landmark 80% Waste Segregation at Source
The city of Nashik has achieved a remarkable milestone in its solid waste management efforts, with waste segregation at source now crossing the 80% mark. This represents a significant 40% jump recorded over the past six months, marking a major transformation in the city's approach to cleanliness and sustainability.
Driving Factors Behind the Improvement
According to civic officials, this substantial improvement has been driven by continuous awareness initiatives undertaken by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) combined with strict penalties imposed on residents who fail to segregate their waste properly. The NMC has made it mandatory for all citizens to separate dry and wet waste before handing it over to municipal collection vans.
While segregation levels were minimal in earlier periods, the numbers have improved steadily following the administration's comprehensive approach that included:
- Launching multiple public awareness campaigns
- Direct appeals to residents through various communication channels
- Enforcement of penalties on households repeatedly failing to comply with segregation requirements
Impact on Swachh Bharat Rankings
Segregation at source represents one of the critical parameters in the Swachh Bharat Survekshan rankings, an area where Nashik faced setbacks in previous assessments. With the current upward trend, officials believe the city could see a significant boost in its overall performance during the current survey cycle.
NMC Commissioner Manisha Khatri told reporters that Nashik has shown "substantial improvement" in waste segregation over the past few months. "We are expecting a further rise in numbers in the next couple of months," she stated, emphasizing that consistent awareness efforts and citizen cooperation have played key roles in achieving these results.
Previous Performance and Future Plans
In the previous Swachh Survekshan cycle (2024-25), Nashik city secured the 22nd spot among cities with a population exceeding 10 lakh, improving from the 31st position the year before. The city scored 79% in segregation at source and 80% for the cleanliness of public toilets during that assessment.
Nashik performed exceptionally well in other critical areas including:
- Door-to-door waste collection (96%)
- Cleanliness of residential localities (100%)
- Market areas cleanliness (100%)
- Water bodies maintenance (100%)
- Waste processing efficiency (100%)
With the new survey cycle currently underway, the administration is planning additional measures to further improve waste management. Officials have announced plans to stop accepting mixed waste entirely, with the implementation date to be announced soon. These measures aim to ensure improved rankings and long-term sustainability in Nashik's waste management system.
The combination of public awareness, enforcement mechanisms, and citizen participation has created a sustainable model that other cities might emulate as India continues its journey toward comprehensive waste management solutions under the Swachh Bharat mission.
