New Delhi/IBNS: The ten dirtiest cities of India are all located in one state, West Bengal, as per the annual cleanliness survey Swachh Survekshan.

The 2023 edition of Swachh Survekshan has reported West Bengal's Howrah, where the state secretariat Nabanna is also located, is the dirtiest city of India.

Howrah, which is the second most populated city in the state, is plagued by unplanned constructions, some say illegal ones, shoddy drainage systems.

Once a hub of industries, Howrah, which underwent changes with the decline in industrial units during the Communist regime apparently saw light at the onset of the current Trinamool Congress regime, led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in 2011.

Photo courtesy: IBNS File

Though Mamata initially seemed serious about transforming Kolkata's sister city, there is, safe to say, hardly any significant improvement in cleanliness and sanitation as reflected in the annual survey.

Howrah is followed by Kalyani, Madhyamgram, Krishnanagar, Asansol, Rishra, Bidhannagar, Kanchrapara, Kolkata and Bhatpara, which are the other nine dirtiest cities of India.

The list comprises dirtiest cities with over a population of one lakh from West Bengal.

Indore, Surat declared cleanest cities of India

Madhya Pradesh's Indore and Gujarat's Surat have been declared jointly as the cleanest cities of India in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023.

Navi Mumbai has been declared as the third cleanest city. The city in the state of Maharashtra had also secured the third place last year.

Photo courtesy: IBNS File

Varanasi and Prayagraj won the top two awards amongst the Cleanest Ganga Towns. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh won the top three awards for Best Performing State. 

Chandigarh walked away with the award for the Best Safaimitra Surakshit Sheher. 110 awards were bestowed during the ceremony.