It must be quite common for you to find litter on the sides of the street, plastic wrappers floating along with the wind like tumbleweed, and poor waste management facilities unless you live in Indore.

This Central Indian city defied odds, and set a stellar example of cleanliness. In fact, the city has been crowned the cleanest city of India three times in a row! Other Indian cities can learn a lot from Indore's pristine example.

All of Indore, including the municipal corporation, public representatives and residents take cleanliness within the city very seriously. On the other hand, dozens of other cities in India see a lackluster attitude towards the hygiene race.

The Indore Municipal Corporation had taken strict measures to instruct the public about waste segregation, informing them about keeping separate bins for dry, wet and hazardous waste. In the past, The civic body distributed free bins to households that weren't following the guidelines.

The civic body collaborated with several NGOs that worked as catalysts in persuading the public to follow sanitation rules.

Special volunteers are assigned to each ward of the city and are titled 'Safai Mitras'. These volunteers collect segregated waste from each household every morning, by the means of garbage vans equipped with speakers and audio cues to alert citizens.

In the waste processing facility, the organic waste goes to a separate unit for composting, whereas the recyclable waste is sold to various recycling companies. All of the hazardous waste is sent for burning in the incinerator.

Sewage of the city is treated in three highly advanced sewage treatment plants. These plants are equipped with the latest technology, ensuring that the BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) of the final effluent remains below the required limit of 30.

Treated waste is discharged into the Kanha tributary of the Chambal river.

More than 8,500 workers have been assigned to sweep the streets of the areas. Motorized vehicles equipped with sprinklers, ply all over the city and clean the roads, dividers and footpaths using recycled water. Moreover, roads in commercial areas of the city are cleaned thrice every day.

A total of Rs. 550 crores is utilized in maintaining the overall sanitation framework. A monthly fee is charged by the city municipal corporation from the citizens. Notably, it has been observed that the city folks regularly pay fees using online and offline modes.

Perhaps, the most crucial reason for the cleanliness streak of the city is that the citizens are not just responsible but also responsive. They contribute and voluntarily take measured to maintain their surroundings.