Depalpur Rises to 2nd Cleanest City via Indore Model

11 Nov Depalpur Rises to 2nd Cleanest City via Indore Model

✎ The Depalpur sanitation model exemplifies the successful replication of best practices in urban waste management, demonstrating how focused interventions and community engagement can lead to significant improvements in…

Subject Relevance — Where This Topic Fits

• GS Paper II — Government Policies and Interventions  |  GS Paper III — Environment and Ecology
• Prelims: Swachh Survekshan, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, Door-to-door waste collection, Waste segregation, Composting
• Essay: Sustainable Urban Development and Citizen Participation, The Role of Local Governance in Achieving National Development Goals

Quick Revision: The Depalpur sanitation model exemplifies the successful replication of best practices in urban waste management, demonstrating how focused interventions and community engagement can lead to significant improvements in cleanliness rankings under Swachh Survekshan.

Why is this in the news?

Depalpur, a town with approximately 20,000 residents, has achieved the distinction of being the second cleanest city in the country under the Swachh Survekshan 2025-26, marking a significant improvement from its 1710th rank in the previous year. This remarkable progress is attributed to the adoption of the ‘Indore Model’ of sanitation, which involved comprehensive waste management strategies and robust public participation, culminating in an award presented by the President of India.

Background

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on October 2, 2014, with the primary objective of achieving universal sanitation coverage and eliminating open defecation.
• The mission is bifurcated into Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) for rural areas and Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) for urban areas.
• Swachh Survekshan is an annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to assess the cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation status of cities and towns across India.
• The survey encourages cities to improve urban sanitation and provides a comprehensive evaluation of their performance based on various parameters.
• Indore has consistently been ranked as India’s cleanest city, demonstrating a sustainable and effective model for urban waste management.
• The ‘Indore Model’ emphasizes source segregation of waste, door-to-door collection, scientific processing of waste, and extensive citizen engagement.

The Depalpur Sanitation Model and its Components

• The Depalpur model is an adaptation of the successful ‘Indore Model’ of urban sanitation, focusing on integrated waste management practices.
• Initial efforts involved the remediation of legacy waste at the Banedia trenching ground, transforming accumulated waste into green spaces.
• Implementation of scientific waste disposal systems at the trenching ground to ensure environmentally sound waste processing.
• Establishment of a 100% door-to-door waste collection system, with designated routes and vehicles for efficient coverage.
• Extensive public awareness campaigns, often supported by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to promote source segregation of wet and dry waste.
• Removal of public waste bins to discourage open dumping and encourage direct transfer of segregated waste to collection vehicles.
• Distribution of over 15,000 individual dustbins to households to facilitate proper waste segregation at the source.
• Beautification drives, including wall paintings and special cleaning campaigns in back lanes, to deter littering and enhance civic aesthetics.
• Installation of units for composting wet waste, promoting resource recovery and reducing the volume of waste sent to landfills.

Key Features

Feature	Significance
Inter-municipal Collaboration	Demonstrates the efficacy of knowledge transfer and resource sharing between urban local bodies for enhanced service delivery.
Scientific Waste Management	Involves systematic processing of accumulated waste, establishment of scientific disposal facilities, and development of green spaces on reclaimed land.
Door-to-Door Waste Collection	Ensures comprehensive coverage and reduces public littering by integrating all households into the waste collection system.
Source Segregation of Waste	Promotes the separation of wet and dry waste at the household level, facilitating easier processing and resource recovery.
Public Awareness and Participation	Crucial for behavioral change, encouraging citizens to adopt responsible waste disposal practices and contribute to urban cleanliness.
Beautification and Infrastructure Improvement	Includes aesthetic enhancements of public spaces, backlanes, and removal of stray animals, contributing to overall urban hygiene and appeal.

Why it Matters

Governance and Administration

• Highlights the potential for significant improvements in urban governance through structured mentorship and collaborative initiatives between municipal bodies.
• Showcases effective implementation of national sanitation policies at the local level, leading to tangible outcomes in urban cleanliness rankings.

Environmental Sustainability

• Contributes to the reduction of landfill burden and environmental pollution through scientific waste processing and resource recovery.
• Promotes the development of green infrastructure and sustainable waste management practices, enhancing urban ecological balance.

Social Impact

• Improves public health outcomes by reducing disease vectors associated with uncollected waste and unsanitary conditions.
• Fosters a sense of civic responsibility and community participation in maintaining urban cleanliness and environmental quality.

Economic Implications

• Enhances the aesthetic appeal of urban areas, potentially attracting tourism and investment.
• Creates opportunities for local employment in waste management, recycling, and urban maintenance sectors.

Challenges

1. Behavioral Change and Public Compliance

• Overcoming ingrained habits of indiscriminate waste disposal and ensuring consistent source segregation among citizens.
• Sustaining public enthusiasm and participation in sanitation drives over the long term.

UPSC Link: Social Justice; Urban Development

2. Infrastructure and Resource Allocation

• Ensuring adequate funding, skilled personnel, and appropriate technology for scientific waste processing and disposal facilities.
• Scaling up successful models to larger urban areas with higher population densities and waste generation rates.

UPSC Link: Urban Planning; Public Finance

3. Sustainability of Initiatives

• Maintaining the momentum of cleanliness drives beyond initial campaigns and ensuring long-term operational viability of waste management systems.
• Preventing the re-accumulation of waste and degradation of public spaces over time.

UPSC Link: Environmental Governance; Sustainable Development

4. Inter-Agency Coordination

• Facilitating seamless cooperation between different government departments, urban local bodies, and non-governmental organizations.
• Addressing jurisdictional complexities and ensuring unified policy implementation across administrative boundaries.

UPSC Link: Public Administration; Cooperative Federalism

Challenges — UPSC Perspective

Issue	Concern
Legacy Waste Management	Large volumes of historical waste in landfills pose environmental and health risks, requiring significant resources for remediation.
Waste Segregation Compliance	Lack of consistent adherence to source segregation by households and commercial establishments complicates waste processing.
Financial Sustainability of ULBs	Urban Local Bodies often face financial constraints in investing in and maintaining advanced waste management infrastructure.
Technological Adoption Gaps	Limited access to or effective utilization of modern waste processing technologies, particularly in smaller towns.
Informal Waste Sector Integration	Challenges in formalizing and integrating the informal waste pickers into the mainstream waste management system.
Public Space Maintenance	Sustaining cleanliness in public areas, including streets, parks, and backlanes, against continuous human activity.

Government Initiatives — Must-Memorise for Prelims

• Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban)

Way Forward

• Promote inter-municipal mentorship programs to facilitate knowledge transfer and best practice replication across urban local bodies.
• Strengthen public awareness campaigns through sustained community engagement and educational initiatives on waste segregation and responsible disposal.
• Invest in advanced waste processing technologies, including waste-to-energy plants and composting facilities, to enhance resource recovery.
• Ensure adequate financial allocation and capacity building for urban local bodies to manage and maintain sanitation infrastructure effectively.
• Develop robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks for sanitation initiatives, incorporating citizen feedback mechanisms.
• Incentivize private sector participation and innovation in waste management services, including collection, processing, and recycling.
• Integrate the informal waste sector into formal waste management systems, ensuring their livelihoods and improving operational efficiency.
• Implement stringent enforcement mechanisms for sanitation regulations to deter littering and promote compliance.

UPSC Value Addition

Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding the Swachh Survekshan:
1. It is an annual survey conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban).
2. The survey assesses urban and rural areas for their levels of cleanliness and implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan initiatives.
3. Indore has consistently been ranked as one of the cleanest cities in India under this survey.

How many of the above statements are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. Only three
4. None

Answer: Only three — Statement 1 is correct: Swachh Survekshan is indeed an annual cleanliness survey conducted by MoHUA for urban areas. Statement 2 is incorrect: Swachh Survekshan primarily focuses on urban areas; a separate survey, Swachh Survekshan Grameen, is conducted for rural areas. Statement 3 is correct: Indore has consistently achieved high rankings, often being the cleanest city, in the Swachh Survekshan.

Q2. Which of the following initiatives are integral to achieving effective solid waste management in urban areas?
1. Door-to-door waste collection
2. Source segregation of waste into wet and dry categories
3. Scientific processing of waste at designated facilities
4. Promoting public awareness and behavioural change

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2, 3 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: 1, 2, 3 and 4 — All four initiatives are crucial for effective solid waste management. Door-to-door collection ensures comprehensive coverage, source segregation facilitates efficient processing, scientific processing minimises environmental impact, and public awareness is vital for sustained behavioural change.

Mains Practice Question

✍ Examine the key components of the ‘Indore Model’ of urban sanitation and waste management. To what extent can this model be replicated by other Urban Local Bodies in India to achieve sustainable cleanliness? (15 Marks)

Approach: The answer should first delineate the core elements of the ‘Indore Model’, such as 6-bin segregation, door-to-door collection, decentralised waste processing, public-private partnerships, and robust public participation. Subsequently, it should critically evaluate the replicability of this model, considering factors like financial resources, political will, citizen engagement, technological adaptation, and administrative capacity of other Urban Local Bodies. Specific challenges and potential facilitators for replication should be discussed, drawing upon examples or general principles of urban governance.

Source: amarujala.com

Madhya Pradesh PCS (MPPSC) — State PCS Practice

Prelims: Which city in Madhya Pradesh, inspired by Indore’s Swachhta Model, has been recognized as the second cleanest city in the country under Swachhta Survekshan 2025-26?

1. Bhopal
2. Jabalpur
3. Depalpur
4. Ujjain

Answer: Depalpur — Depalpur, inspired by Indore’s Swachhta Model, achieved the second cleanest city status in Swachhta Survekshan 2025-26.

Mains: Discuss how Indore’s Swachhta Model contributed to Depalpur becoming the second cleanest city in the country, highlighting key aspects relevant to urban development in Madhya Pradesh.

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