Depalpur has secured second place nationally in the Swachh Shehar Jodi category of the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2025-26 after a partnership with Indore helped the town clear about 1,250 metric tonnes of legacy waste and reclaim 2.2 acres of land. The award recognised the mentor-mentee pairing of Indore Municipal Corporation and Depalpur Nagar Parishad, which worked together to overhaul waste collection, segregation and dumpsite management.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards during the 10th edition of the national cleanliness survey. Ahmedabad and Sanand ranked first in the Swachh Shehar Jodi category, while Tirupati and Kuppam finished third. The awards recognised the work of cities, citizens and sanitation workers across the country.
Depalpur’s transformation was recorded in the category for towns with populations below 20,000. Before the partnership, the town ranked 378th among 380 cities in Madhya Pradesh and 1,710th among 2,030 cities nationally on cleanliness parameters. It became the first town under the peer-learning initiative to achieve Zero Legacy Waste in the 2025-26 survey.
The partnership began in September 2025 after the two civic bodies signed a memorandum of understanding. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava led the first working meeting in Depalpur on September 29, when the civic bodies launched an action plan aimed at improving the town’s cleanliness performance within 100 days. Bhargava said the programme was designed not only as a short-term drive but also to establish a sustainable system.
Under the arrangement, Indore provided technical guidance, heavy machinery and operational support. More than 500 ragpickers were mobilised alongside Depalpur Nagar Parishad’s dumpers, JCBs and loaders to scientifically bioremediate the old waste. The operation recovered 4.5 tonnes of recyclable material, which was sold to authorised recyclers. Between 50 and 60 tonnes of Refuse Derived Fuel was sent to the NEPRA plant in Indore for cement co-processing.
The waste-management system was also expanded beyond the old dumpsite. Door-to-door collection now covers more than 3,269 households and 868 commercial establishments through six compartmentalised vehicles. The vehicles support four-way source segregation, while NGOs have been deployed across all 15 wards. Officials also maintained monitoring systems intended to prevent fresh litter accumulation, and a fine of Rs 25,000 was imposed when garbage was found piling up on streets.
Depalpur conducted 2,568 Information, Education and Communication activities over six months to encourage behavioural changes among residents. The cleared dumpsite has since been planted with 200 saplings and is planned for conversion into a public space for cricket and community events.
Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said the recognition reflected the collective efforts of residents and institutions in both cities. Indore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kshitij Singhal said the technical guidance, machinery and workforce mobilisation were central to the bioremediation effort. The award places the two civic bodies among the national examples of municipal cooperation through the Swachh Shehar Jodi initiative.
