Panaji, Jan 21 (IANS): Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday launched a star rating protocol for garbage-free cities in the country, where cities will be rated from one star to seven stars on the basis of several parameters identified by the ministry under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

"The 7-star rating system will be based on multiple cleanliness indicators for solid waste management, will include door-to-door collection, bulk generator compliance, source segregation, sweeping, scientific processing of waste, scientific land-filling, plastic waste management, construction and demolition management, dump remediation and citizen grievance redressal system, etc," Puri told reporters during a press conference in Panaji.

The cities can be rated as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 -star based on their compliance with the protocol conditions specified for each of the ratings, the minister said.

"Further the city should be open defecation free before it could be given a rating of 3-star and above. While cities may self-declare through an independent third party to certify cities as 3-star, 5-star or 7-star," Puri said, adding that aspiring cities will need to get independently re-certified every year to retain their star-status.

"The protocol will involve the participation of all stakeholders and common people to aspire for higher grading and cleanliness. The Swachh Sarvekshan survey run by the SBM Urban for the past three years has successfully built up a spirit of healthy competition among cities, vying each other every year to improve their ranking as compared to other cities," Puri also said.