New Delhi, Dec 19: A preparatory workshop for the Clean Himalayan Hill Cities Initiative was conducted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in New Delhi on December 16, 2025.
This event aimed at developing a strategic roadmap to enhance sanitation and cleanliness in 13 Himalayan and hill cities, alongside key foothill cities in West Bengal. The initiative, part of the broader Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban framework, seeks to leverage existing community-driven practices and technologies to foster sustainable cleanliness.
High-level stakeholders, including urban experts, private sector partners, and representatives from academic institutions, collaborated to discuss challenges unique to these regions, such as fragile ecosystems and extreme weather conditions.
The sessions highlighted effective community-led waste management models and technological solutions tailored for hilly terrains, showcasing successful practices from various Himalayan cities.
Furthermore, key knowledge products were launched to provide practical guidance, such as an advisory for onsite sanitation in colder regions and a compendium of best practices on waste management. These resources aim to strengthen the capacity of local governments and communities to address sanitation and waste management challenges more effectively.
Moving forward, participating states and union territories are expected to assess and prioritize their sanitation needs based on workshop insights, with rollouts of concrete plans anticipated in early 2026, focused on creating cleaner and more resilient hill cities.
