The ninth edition of Swachh Survekshan, governed by the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)-Urban, underscores its significance as the world’s largest cleanliness survey, evaluating urban sanitation and waste management in over 4,500 cities in India. The survey provides policymakers with essential data, aiming to enhance urban sanitation through competitive assessments and citizen feedback.

Key Highlights:

• Overview and Purpose: The Swachh Survekshan serves as a reality check for urban sanitation, measure gaps, and foster competition among cities to improve cleanliness.

• Historic Participation: In its latest edition, the survey saw participation from more than 4,500 cities, a substantial increase from fewer than 100 in 2016, reinforced by third-party verification and feedback from 140 million citizens.

• Survey Parameters: The assessment covers ten comprehensive parameters including waste segregation, collection, transport, sanitation worker welfare, and grievance redressal.

• Introduction of Super Swachh League: This new framework allows established clean cities like Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai, along with 20 other cities across different population sizes, to set benchmarks and stimulate healthy competition, enabling cities like Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow to secure top ranks in the million-plus category.

• Focus on Inclusivity: The survey expanded the population categories from two to five, accommodating cities with populations from less than 20,000 to over one million, promoting broader participation.

• Significant Progress: Cities such as Bhubaneswar (moving from 34th to 9th place) and small towns like Aska and Chikiti significantly improved rankings, indicating the potential for cleanliness programs across various states, particularly in Odisha.

• Regional Performance: Southern Indian cities have underperformed, with Bengaluru noted as the least impressive; however, other cities like Hyderabad and Mysuru excelled. The National Capital Region presented mixed results with some areas improving ranks despite negative reports.

• Awards and Recognition: A total of 78 Swachh awards were distributed, promoting cities to become mentors for others, facilitating the spread of best practices.

• Best Practices from Leading Cities: Various cities introduced innovative waste management techniques—Indore excels in waste segregation, Surat generates revenue from treated sewage water, and Visakhapatnam transformed a toxic site into an eco-park.

• Emphasis on Tourist Locations: Cities like Prayagraj received accolades for exceptional sanitation during the Maha Kumbh festival, highlighting the need for sustained cleanliness drives to boost tourism.

• Thematic Focus on Waste Management: The 2025 survey theme, ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle (RRR)’, aims to create jobs and foster enterprise, building on the previous theme of ‘waste to wealth’. However, private sector hesitance regarding the commercial viability of waste-to-energy plants remains a concern.

• Civic Engagement Challenges: While a significant reduction in open defecation has been achieved through SBM, instigating behavioral changes concerning waste management presents challenges.

• Solid Waste Management Strategy: With cities generating approximately 1.5 lakh tonnes of solid waste daily, effective management will rely on decentralized action by urban local bodies (ULBs) for proper segregation and processing of waste, especially difficult categories like plastic and e-waste.

• Potential for Improvement: The transformation of Surat’s sanitation status from a garbage-laden location to a top-ranking city emphasizes that similar advancements are attainable for other Indian cities.

In conclusion, the Swachh Survekshan continues to be a critical tool in driving urban cleanliness initiatives forward, encouraging competition and measurable progress across diverse urban landscapes in India.

Important Points:

• Swachh Survekshan evaluates urban sanitation in over 4,500 cities.
• Introduction of Super Swachh League promotes competition.
• Expansion of (population) categories enhances inclusivity.
• Significant improvements noted in cities like Bhubaneswar and Aska.
• Leading cities adopt best practices in waste management.
• Tourist-centric cleanliness initiatives gain recognition.
• Focus on ‘RRR’ approach aims to stimulate job creation.
• Challenges in civic engagement and waste management persist.
• Effective management of solid waste is crucial for urban cleanliness.

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav represented India at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, from July 23 to July 31, 2025. During this high-level meeting, he emphasized India’s leadership in wetlands conservation, underscoring significant achievements and future commitments.

Summary of Key Points:

• Leadership in Wetlands Conservation: Minister Yadav highlighted India's commitment to environmental sustainability, presenting the theme of ‘Oneness with Nature’ and advocating for the integration of sustainable lifestyles into wetlands management.

• Ramsar Wetlands Expansion: Over the past decade, India has expanded its network of Ramsar Wetlands by 250%, now hosting 91 Ramsar Sites, which is the highest in Asia and third globally. The total area covered by these sites is approximately 1.36 million hectares.

• Urban Wetland Cities: The Minister noted the accreditation of Udaipur and Indore as Wetland Cities, reflecting India's commitment to enhancing urban wetlands.

• Community Engagement: Under initiatives like ‘Mission Sahbhagita’ and ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’, over 2 million citizens have been mobilized, contributing to the ground-truthing of more than 170,000 wetlands and boundary demarcation of nearly 100,000 wetlands across the country.

• Constitutional and Policy Framework: The conservation of wetlands is integrated into India’s constitutional mandates, which encourage environmental protection. Legal frameworks supporting this include the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and the National Wildlife Action Plan.

• International Collaboration and Bilateral Meetings: During COP15, Minister Yadav held discussions with various international organizations, including CITES and CMS, and met with Zimbabwe's Minister of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife to strengthen collaboration in wetland restoration.

• Global Environmental Initiatives: India’s participation in international partnerships such as the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) was highlighted as a step towards advancing climate action and biodiversity conservation.

• Engagement in Emerging Issues: The Ramsar COP15 brought together representatives from 172 Contracting Parties and focused on a work program for the next triennium addressing various ongoing and emerging environmental issues.

• Sustainable Lifestyles: The Minister emphasized the importance of sustainable lifestyles, referencing the UNEA Resolution 6/8, and advocating for their incorporation into India's policy framework for wetlands conservation.

• Commitment to Ecological Sustainability: India’s active participation in COP15 signifies its dedication to ecological sustainability and intergenerational equity, reinforcing its role as a leader in global environmental governance.

This comprehensive engagement reflects India's proactive stance in international environmental discussions and underscores its commitment to sustainable development and conservation practices.

Summary of the Bhopal Gas Disaster Petition Hearing in the Supreme Court

A petition from the Bhopal gas disaster victims’ rights groups has been filed in the Supreme Court, addressing the long-standing issue of misclassification of survivors suffering severe injuries and illnesses from the 1984 gas leak incident. The petition, led by organizations such as the Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Purush Sangharsh Morcha, seeks to ensure that these victims are correctly categorized under the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985, allowing them to receive appropriate compensation for their medical needs.

Key points regarding the petition and associated context include:

• Context of the Bhopal Gas Disaster: The Bhopal gas leak tragedy, often referred to as “the world’s largest industrial disaster,” occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984, when Methyl Isocynate (MIC) was released from the Union Carbide India Ltd. (UCIL) plant. This incident resulted in significant loss of life and extensive health issues among residents in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

• Misclassification of Victims: The petition emphasizes that many survivors suffering from serious conditions such as cancer and kidney failure have been incorrectly classified as having "temporary disablement" or "minor injury." This misclassification hinders their eligibility for rightful compensation.

• Legal Precedents and Supreme Court Rulings: The Supreme Court dismissed curative petitions in July 2023, which aimed to secure further damages from Union Carbide’s parent company, with the Court stating that any deficit in compensation falls to the responsibility of the Union government.

• Health Impacts: According to the petition, over 30 years after the disaster, 95% of those officially recorded as exposed to toxic gas continue requiring ongoing medical care. The data collected from government hospitals indicates a high prevalence of chronic conditions among affected individuals, including cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

• Statistical Evidence:

  • At Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC), analysis from 1998 to 2016 shows that 50.4% of gas-affected patients experienced cardiovascular issues and 59.6% suffered from pulmonary problems.
  • In 2023 alone, 206,016 gas victims sought treatment at BMHRC.

• Judicial Proceedings: The petition was scheduled for hearing by a Bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai in July 2025. However, it faced delays due to the Chief Justice's unavailability. The next scheduled date for the hearing is indicated as July 18.

• Advocacy for Justice: The rights’ groups argue that the failure to adjust classifications and provide appropriate compensation is unjust. They are advocating for the recognition of the long-term health impacts the disaster has had on survivors and for policy changes to remedy the past oversight.

This petition highlights the ongoing legal and humanitarian challenges faced by the victims of the Bhopal gas tragedy, reflecting the need for a robust response from the government concerning public health and social justice.

Important Sentences:

• A petition filed by Bhopal gas disaster victims’ rights groups seeks reclassification of severely affected survivors.
• The petition demands compliance with the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster (Processing of Claims) Act, 1985 for adequate compensation.
• The Bhopal gas leak tragedy occurred on December 2-3, 1984, releasing toxic gas and resulting in a severe health crisis.
• Supreme Court stated in July 2023 that any compensation deficit is the Union government's responsibility.
• 95% of the exposed population continues to require medical treatment more than 30 years post-disaster.
• Data from BMHRC indicates over half of the patients suffer from chronic health issues related to gas exposure.
• The hearing was postponed due to the Chief Justice's unavailability, with the next date set for July 18.