Indore (Madhya Pradesh): As part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, Indore – which was adjudged cleanest city for eight times in a row -- has now taken on the responsibility of making Depalpur, a nearby municipality, a model of cleanliness.
In a special MoU signing ceremony held on Saturday between Indore Municipal Corporation and the Depalpur Municipal Council, it was announced that Depalpur will be developed into a cleanest town in the district within the next 100 days. Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar joined the event virtually.
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said, “It is our privilege that Indore, which has consistently implemented Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Swachh Bharat, now gets the opportunity to guide Depalpur. This is not just a 100-day mission but a long-term action plan to sustain cleanliness.”
Local MLA Manoj Patel, district president Chawda, Depalpur council president Anita Mahesh Puri Goswami, Mayor-in-Council members Ashwini Shukla, Abhishek “Bablu” Sharma, Rajesh Udawat, Rakesh Jain, the CMO of Depalpur and several public representatives were also present.
Khattar highlighted that the success model of cities like Indore, which have consistently ranked number one in cleanliness, is now being replicated in other towns. He revealed that Indore will guide at least five cities in the initial phase. “I am confident that Depalpur’s representatives and citizens will actively participate in this campaign,” he said.
To kickstart the initiative, a special meeting will be held in Depalpur at 3 pm on Sunday, after which a joint team of the Municipal Corporation and Municipal Council will begin work on the ground.
Depalpur fared worst in cleanliness in district
Even as most towns in Indore district fared well in the Swachh Survekshan-2024, Depalpur found itself at the bottom of the rankings.
Depalpur secured a disappointing 1710th rank, the lowest among urban bodies in the district. This stands in sharp contrast to neighboring towns that performed commendably — Sanwer clinched the 22nd spot in the category of towns with less than 20,000 population, Mhow Cantonment ranked 23rd in the category of 50,000 to 3 lakh population, while Mhowgaon and Rau secured 30th and 35th ranks respectively in the 20,000 to 50,000 population category. Gautampura too impressed with 77th place.
In comparison, Manpur ranked 218th, Betma 260th, and Hathod 325th in their respective categories, all significantly ahead of Depalpur.
