Jammu Ranks Second, Shopian Third Among Clean Himalayan Cities in Swachh Survekshan 2025–26
JAMMU: Jammu has secured the second position nationally in the Clean Himalayan City category, while Shopian in south Kashmir has bagged the third rank in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025–26, bringing national recognition to Jammu and Kashmir for their efforts in urban sanitation and cleanliness.
Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur emerged as the top-ranked city in the category, followed by Jammu and Shopian, respectively.
The awards were presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the 10th edition of the Swachh Survekshan Awards ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on November 11. The ceremony was organised under the theme, “Swachhata Ki Nayi Pehel – Badhayein Haath, Karein Safai Saath.”
Accepting the award on behalf of Jammu, Ayushi Sudan, IAS, Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban and Commissioner, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), was accompanied by Abdul Sattar, JKAS, Joint Commissioner, Health and Sanitation, and Dr Shahid Hussain, Health Officer, JMC.
The recognition reflects Jammu’s initiatives in sustainable solid waste management, door-to-door four-stream waste segregation, curbing single-use plastic and conducting community-led cleanliness campaigns.
The Jammu Municipal Corporation, in coordination with the Housing and Urban Development Department and civil society organisations, has undertaken sanitation reforms and public awareness campaigns to strengthen waste management practices and encourage citizen participation.
The civic body dedicated the achievement to sanitation workers, frontline safai karamcharis and residents, acknowledging their contribution to maintaining cleanliness across the city.
Meanwhile, Shopian’s third-place finish has added another achievement for Jammu and Kashmir in the national cleanliness assessment. The recognition highlights the town’s efforts towards improving sanitation, waste management and public hygiene.
President calls for greater citizen participation
Addressing the award ceremony, President Droupadi Murmu said cleanliness was not merely about maintaining the aesthetic appeal of public spaces but also an indicator of public health, social consciousness and administrative accountability.
She emphasised that cleanliness could not be achieved through the efforts of a single organisation or government department and required the active participation of every citizen, household, community and city.
The President called upon youth, women, Resident Welfare Associations and community organisations to actively participate in cleanliness initiatives, share their experiences and report shortcomings to municipal authorities.
She also stressed that citizen feedback should not remain limited to surveys and rankings but should become an effective instrument for improving municipal services and addressing local sanitation challenges.
Highlighting the role of technology and innovation, Murmu called for developing effective, affordable and safe technologies in the sanitation sector. She noted that startups, scientific institutions and research organisations could play an important role in addressing sanitation challenges while generating employment opportunities.
The President also underlined the need to strengthen the capacities of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, pointing out that these rapidly growing urban centres have distinct development requirements and sanitation challenges.
The Swachh Survekshan 2025–26, organised by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, evaluated more than 4,751 urban local bodies across the country. The 10th edition placed emphasis on waste segregation, collection and transportation, solid waste management, visible cleanliness, sanitation facilities, welfare of sanitation workers and citizen feedback.
For Jammu and Shopian, the national recognition highlights the growing importance of sustained civic action, effective waste management and public participation in keeping Himalayan towns clean and environmentally sustainable.
