Guwahati Launches New Swachhata Competition with Neighborhood Beautification Incentives

Guwahati: The Guwahati Municipal Corporation has introduced a new community-based cleanliness competition to boost public involvement in the national Swachh Survekshan program. Mayor Mrigen Sarania, Deputy Mayor Smita Roy, and Commissioner Chinmoy Prakash Phookan announced the initiative, which targets local clubs and resident committees across the city.

Participating groups will be evaluated on a 150-point scale covering waste segregation, drain maintenance, composting, and public health standards. A unique requirement includes painting neighborhood structures in purple, inspired by the Kopou or foxtail orchid, which contributes 50 points toward the final score.

The corporation is offering significant financial rewards to incentivize participation. The top three performing committees will receive cash prizes ranging from 1 to 3 lakh rupees, while an additional 5 lakh rupee award is available for exceptional performance. Six consolation prizes of 50,000 rupees will also be distributed.

To support these efforts, the city will deploy 1,000 Swachh Sakhis to monitor waste disposal practices across local households. In a move to further assist residents, the monthly user fee for door-to-door garbage collection has been reduced from 50 rupees to 30 rupees. Officials stated that these measures aim to foster community ownership of sanitation efforts and improve the city’s overall cleanliness rankings.