Waste segregation at source tops 80%-mark in Nashik city

NASHIK: The segregation of waste at source in Nashik city has crossed the 80%-mark - a significant 40% jump recorded around six months ago.The improvement marks a major shift in the city's solid waste management performance, driven by continuous awareness initiatives undertaken by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and penalties imposed on residents for not segregating waste.

According to a civic official, the NMC has made it mandatory for citizens to separate dry and wet waste before handing it over to the collection vans. While segregation levels were minimal earlier, the numbers improved steadily after the administration launched multiple campaigns, appealed to residents, and enforced penalties on households repeatedly failing to comply.Segregation at source is one of the critical parameters in the Swachh Bharat Survekshan rankings, an area where Nashik faced setbacks last year.

With the current upward trend, officials believe the city could see a significant boost in its overall performance this year.Speaking to the reporters, NMC commissioner Manisha Khatri said the city has shown "substantial improvement" in waste segregation over the past few months. "We are expecting a further rise in numbers in the next couple of months," she said, adding that consistent awareness and citizen cooperation have played key roles.

In the previous Swachh Survekshan cycle (2024-25), Nashik city secured the 22nd spot among cities with a population of over 10 lakh, improving from the 31st position the year before. The city scored 79% in segregation at source and 80% for the cleanliness of public toilets, but performed exceptionally well in areas like door-to-door waste collection (96%) and cleanliness of residential localities, market areas, water bodies, and waste processing - all of which earned 100% marks.With the new survey cycle underway, the administration is also planning to stop accepting mixed waste, with the implementation date to be announced soon. Officials said such measures are aimed at ensuring improved rankings and long-term sustainability in Nashik's waste management system.