CIVIC CATASTROPHES EXPOSE NATION’S ‘UNSMART’ CITIES

ON this Republic Day, it is unfortunate to recall two recent catastrophic incidents of urban India.

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First the death of two dozen people due to the supply of contaminated water in Indore and second drowning of 27-year-old engineer in a swamp created by sewer water near an upmarket condominium in Noida, a suburb of the national Capital.

These incidents tell a terrible story because both Indore and Noida are considered to be providing civic security of highest order under a government ranking system. On October 1, 2021, the Union government launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0, with the overall vision of creating “Garbage Free Cities” (GFC). For achieving this vision, a key objective under SBM-U 2.0 is to make every urban local body at least three-star garbage free as per the star rating protocol.

Under this scheme, the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) holds a seven-star rating, making it a certified GFC. Indore made history by becoming the first city in India to achieve this highest possible seven-star distinction in 2022, and it has consistently maintained this status through the latest assessment cycles (includ-