Cleanest City in Haryana: Sonipat to Receive Ministerial Star Award
Media Report, Sonipat-
Sonipat Named Cleanest City in Haryana, To Receive Ministerial Star Award on July 17 Sonipat has emerged as the cleanest city in Haryana, earning the prestigious Ministerial Star Award from the Ministry of Urban Development. The award will be presented in New Delhi on July 17 by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

In the 2023 Swachh Survekshan, Sonipat received a 1-star rating in the garbage-free city category. Previously ranked 21st in Haryana, this year the city secured the top position in the state due to its exemplary sanitation work.

The Municipal Corporation, in collaboration with private companies, has implemented several measures to improve waste management. Around 85 vehicles collect segregated wet and dry waste from households, and ?1.80 crore per month is paid to JBM company for waste collection, along with ?70 lakh for contract-based sanitation workers.

All collected waste is transported to a Solid Waste Management Plant in Murthal, where 500 tons of waste are processed daily to produce 5 tons of compost and 6 MW of electricity. This is the first such plant in Haryana, started on August 16, 2021, with a cost of ?176 crore. The compost is provided to farmers.

Complaints regarding sanitation are received via the Swachh Haryana (Citizen) App, with 651 complaints filed between Jan 1 and Dec 31, 2024. Of these, 612 have been resolved, and only 28 were rejected.

Survey Metrics Included:

Daily cleanliness

Ban on single-use plastic

Drain cleaning

Solid waste processing

Maintenance of public toilets and civic infrastructure

Sonipat's Rankings Over the Years:

2017: 243

2018: 156

2019: 161

2020: 103

2021: 235

2022: 139

2023: 260 (yet ranked highest in Haryana)

Reactions:

MLA Nikhil Madan praised public awareness and the corporation’s planning.

Mayor Rajeev Jain congratulated sanitation workers and said the aim is to make Sonipat number one in the country.

Chief Sanitation Inspector Satender Kumar said public support played a key role in improving cleanliness.